Stupid Girl
by bertiebottsgeorge
Summary: Lily's brilliant plan to get over her crush: A drunken night with with Remus Lupin to spite James Potter. Messy, messy, messy. NEW CHAPTER SIX!
1. Precious Little Doll

A**/N: **Okay, second Lily/James fic right here! I'm almost done with my last one (Drunk Love) and kind of abandoned it but I promise to finish it. I wanted to go in a new direction after being inspired by so many stories.

Anyway, if you like, my **myspace** is up on my profile. My color hair is what I see Lily Evans having (I'm a redhead). But that's it, just the hair.

**AND, I've spent days and hours and hours perfecting this damned chapter. I'm exhausted.**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Lily and James. Though I wish I owned James.

_**Summary**_**: James is an ass to Lily. She gets drunk and hooks up with Remus Lupin, to spite James and her huge crush on him because she thinks that she has no chance. Sometimes the opposite is reality.**

If anyone likes the book **Holes**, I wrote a story called **Meggy Poo **and its about a girl camp going to green lake, but I promise its well done. See for yourself, Chapter 6 is up.

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"Get up, get up!" Drew Gaston shook her friend Lily Evans awake as she lay in her bed, almost lifeless. Her wavy red hair was really out of control this morning, she noted.

"Hnughh." Lily moaned through her pillow.

Giving up, she went over to the next bed where her friend Persephone was soundly sleeping with a slight smile on her face. Drew squinted down at her and shook her shoulder. When she didn't reply she stood. "Dreaming of a rendezvous with the Marauders, no doubt." She murmured.

"I heard that." Persephone opened one eye.

**Lily's POV:**

"What are you talking about? I think he is quite cute Lily."

We were on our way over to breakfast and while I was trying to fix my hideously frizzy hair, Persephone was hanging on my arm, bugging me to no end. As usual.

My dear, sweet, _annoying_ friend Persephone idolized the Marauders (and we all knew it). She wanted me or our closest friends Drew and Faye to get together with one of them so she could play pranks with them and be one of the boys.

I don't even know which one she was talking about today, but it didn't matter because once again, it would never happen. We were all too cynical to even fathom what _those_ relationships would be like. Which is why I love my friends.

Even if I _did_ sort of have a huge thing for James, I knew it would never happen and I would just have to wait for it to go away on its own. But lets just keep that on the down low for now, alright?

"You know I cant handle immature guys as boyfriends." Denial is my BFF.

"I'm immature."

I pondered that a bit. She is. "Well, you're a girl and my friend."

"Right."

"And I only put up with you because you're good at Charms and I need all the help I can get." I added.

As we were on the way to breakfast, I fussed with my hair because the front refused to lie flat. I groaned as we approached the Great Hall. I saw something a bit unsettling.

**Drew's POV:**

I raised my eyebrows at Lily as she looked murderously at a few stray strands of hair. Then she groaned audibly.

Then I saw it. Or rather--him.

It was James Golden Boy Potter, leaning against the stone wall outside the Great Hall with his usual lazy demeanor with the rest of the Marauders. Persephone nearly shat herself right then and there.

He was always sort of an arrogant prick, to say the least, and the whole school knew it. He used to ask Lily out all the time in fifth year to bug her, no doubt. Then one day he gave up on her, they started hating each other and he dated half the school. Nice cycle, right?

Unfortunately, Lily developed a crush on him back then and refused to believe he was serious about her, so now she was worse off than before. So she tried her best to hide her secret infatuation with him to throw others off by being mean to him. Only our group of friends knew, and it would stay that way.

Most people just saw her as his arch enemy.

I glanced over at the Marauders as Lily did a very good job of "rummaging through her bag" to avoid looking at him and going all red in the face.

The Marauders were laughing and chattering. In fact, it looked as though they were waiting for someone. I don't know why, because all four were already there. Maybe they were just waiting for some dumb bimbo to hold on their arm.

Sirius caught my eye and winked as he did to everyone.

Excuse me while I projectile vomit.

I _hate_ that greasy git. He acted as though it was the girls of Hogwarts positions to bow down to him. He wasn't all that attractive, either. I didn't see what all the fuss was all about.

We got into the Great Hall and all sat in the usual spot, sort of in the middle of the Gryffindor table with most of the other sixth years. Lily dropped her bag onto the floor with a thud and kicked it under her seat.

"I'm starving." She announced and kept fussing with that stupid lock of hair. "God I cant believe my hair this morning. What is the matter with it?"

I looked at her unfortunate hair problem. She was right, it was a mess of frizz this morning. Then suddenly it all calmed and went back to it's usual soft, wavy, thick luster.

With huge eyes, Lily stared at a lock she was about to rip out in frustration just a second before. "What--"

"You can thank me with a hug." Came a voice from above Lily.

She turned to see a tall blonde girl with flushed cheeks standing there.

"Faye!" Lily hugged her waist tightly from where she was sitting. "Thank you, you gorgeous thing. You saved my conceit."

Faye Bristow, the fourth girl of their group smiled back sweetly. Her straight hair was up in a pony tail with a brown suede headband.

She sat next to Lily and took a deep breath, her blue eyes twinkling.

"Where have you been?" I asked with a smirk.

"I went for a run this morning." She said.

"You are so mean." I stabbed at my egg. "I wanted to go, why didn't you wake me?"

Faye shrugged. "Because I went with a boy."

"WHO?" Persephone demanded. "A Marauder?"

We all just stared at her.

"Sorry." She peeped.

"Oh, I don't know." Faye went on. "Don't get the wrong idea, though. He doesn't fancy me. He talked to me about one of my dearest friends."

"I wonder who." I said flatly, pointing to Lily.

"What--why would it be me?" Lily asked, kind of mad. "The only guys who have ever fancied me have been impressively large prats."

"Actually this one was going for you, Drew." Faye smiled happily.

"So tell us who it is." Seph said.

"I want to know." Lily gave me a sarcastic smile. Bitch.

I glared at her. "Well I don't. So that's settled, who wants coffee?"

Me + relationship no. That's my main philosophy, pretty much. I hate guys who are nice and I want the ones I cant have. Give me a break, relationships and marriage don't actually _work_.

"Fine." Faye said, another twinkle in her eye. "If Drew doesn't want to know, its her business to take care of."

"You are way too cynical." Lily sighed and looked down the table at the Marauders.

"Aw, Lily." I pat her hand. "I see what you're looking at."

"I'm not--" Lily started stubbornly.

"You are." Persephone cut her off.

**James's POV:**

"Prongs, do we _really_ need to wait here for your precious little doll?" Sirius whined.

"Yeah," Peter added. "We sit near Lily and her friends during meals anyway--"

"For god sakes, lower your voices or she'll hear you." I panicked a bit.

Then I saw her.

Her beautiful wavy red hair, I loved it when it frizzed like that, and her gorgeous green eyes--which I couldn't see because she was too busy rummaging through her bag. Dammit. Why did she always do that around me?

"Happy?" Sirius asked once she'd gone into the Great Hall.

Well geez, all I wanted to do wasto see her.

**Lily's POV:**

I hated it when my eyes drifted over to stupid James and his stupid Marauder friends. I didn't even know why I fancied him.

Him. _Him. _

_Argh._

We had almost every class together, and well--I just couldn't help it. Looking over at him beam at his friends for pulling another one of his pranks on poor old Severus, I noticed his dimples, his brown eyes, and ruffled hair. What was he, five? Sixteen year olds should know how to take care of their hair, shouldn't they?

James wasn't particularly _nice_ to everyone. The population of Hogwarts (save the Slytherins) just adored him because it was almost mandatory. He had girls falling at his feet alongside Remus and Sirius. Even Peter got dates. (Another one of those unsolved mysteries).

Back in fifth year, I remember seeing James every day, developing that little crush on him that would turn into what it was now. Full blown infatuation. For no bloody reason, either. When he would ask me out I shot him down because I know he was just messing about. Not actually _serious_ about any of it.

He teased and tortured me a lot these days. Because I liked to study sometimes, because I wore my hair wrong, because I have weird friends. He definitely got the wrong impression of me, anyway. I was so not a bookworm. And my friends are cool, to me at least.

I don't think James loves when I stand up for Severus, either. Turns out, they're both assholes.

"Lily." Drew said, shaking me out of my thoughts about James. "We have to go to Potions now." And then softly she said, "Were you thinking of Kevin?"

"No. Lets just go." I said quickly. Kevin was our little code name for James so he or anyone else would ever figure it out.

I picked up my bag and threw it over my shoulder.

We walked into potions where Professor Slughorn had cauldrons set up around the room.

"Oh wonderful, I think we have to pair up." Seph whispered.

We all walked over to cauldrons searching for our names scrawled in gold floating above each one. I found mine with relief because I was paired with Drew. I thought I saw Seph snooping around Sirius Black's cauldron, but realized I didn't really care if she made an ass of herself in front of her idols. She always did, anyway.

Remus and James were next to us, unfortunately.

"So anyway, Calantha completely ruined her brand new shoes at breakfast because _someone_," she threw her head in James' direction, "had to knock into her as she was carrying the syrup back to her seat."

I rolled my eyes. "How surprising." I think Drew hated the Marauders because she was so sick of Seph's talking about them all the time. I got used to it and tried to ignore her as best I could.

"Hey!" Seph nearly pushed me into my cauldron to tell me that her cauldron buddy was Sirius. While she wildly pointed at him, Drew and I stared at her a bit without a reply and she finally retreated back to her spot, sulking.

"Oh, and also," Drew started, "That creep Patrick keeps asking me if you're available."

I shook my head, "Why wont he leave me alone? Why cant someone normal have an obsession with me? The one guy who likes me has to be some obscenely obnoxious seventh year everyone hates. I don't even think the Marauders are as annoying as he is."

Boy did I ask for it.

"Excuse me but I believe I just heard my colleagues names come up rather unpleasantly in your conversation, Lily." James Golden Boy Potter leaned over our cauldron.

Eaughegh

"I was making a fair comparison." I replied.

"Aw, does some one have a crushy wushy on us, Jamesy?" Sirius came from out of nowhere. He was probably trying to get away from Seph.

"No, someone _dis_likes us, Sirius." James replied, looking at me. God, _every_ day with this.

"Us?" Sirius asked with wide eyes. "_Us?_ How is that possible my friend?"

"I'm not sure." James mock paused. "Why would someone, _anyone_, say that we are annoying?"

"Oh lord, poor Marauders, two girls aren't falling at your feet?" I shot back.

"Surprise of the century." Drew said and turned herself and Lily back to the cauldron before we could really get into it.

Dammit.

**James' POV:**

I cant help it! Its my only means of communication with Lily so I figure I can keep with it as long as its harmless.

Lily and her weird friends were probably among the few girls in Gryffindor who didn't put up with the bullshit we forced onto everyone else. I'll admit it, all girls found us charming and in their eyes we could do no wrong. Needless to say, we'd all dated at least half the girls in our year. Even Peter.

Lily was pretty and I know lots of guys fancied her but it was obvious that hey were all afraid to approach her. She and her friends were the wonder women, slightly feministic ladies of our year. I also threatened to hex anyone who fancied Lily into oblivion. Like this Patrick character. I'd have to speak to him soon enough.

Then Drew told Sirius off again. When he did as he was told (for maybe the first time in ten years) I nearly choked on my laughter. He gave me a look and I stopped.

"Hey, I'm stuck with that Persephone chick." He whispered as he neared my cauldron. "She is…batty. To say the least."

"I've never spoken to her before." I mused, "Too bad you aren't with Drew, eh? She sure told you."

"She's Feisty." He winked at me and went to his cauldron with the weird girl.

"Lets get to work." Remus piped up after all this time.

I looked round at him and started to concentrate on the potion. Poor guy. He would glance up at Lily every couple of minutes. I saw her smile and giggle and gossip with Drew when I followed his glances. This was not good. If he went for Lily I would have no chance. He is way more approachable than I am and again, I think she hated me anyway. You know, because fighting with a girl isn't exactly the way to her heart. So that's two points against me. So I took on an ingenius plan.

"Remus." I said.

"Yes?" He asked, staring in to the potion.

"Pay attention and stop staring at Drew, please." I smiled.

He looked up quickly. "I--I'm not staring at Drew."

"Yes, you are."

"No I'm not. Sirius likes Drew."

"Hey!" I heard Sirius hiss loudly.

"Whatever you say, Moony." I smiled.

"I'm not lying."

"So," I smiled, "You wouldn't mind if I asked her to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

He looked at me. "Why would I mind--I don't even--"

"Don't get all worked up." I stirred the potion. "I was joking."

"I'm serious though, James. She's very pretty, but I don't fancy her." He looked down a bit. "I fancy someone else--"

"Nonsense my boy!" I pat his back

He smiled despite himself and shook his head.

"What, you want me to help you out?" I asked.

"No no no, James really its nothing at all. And besides, I like another girl--"

"Oh, stop." I grinned. "Your wish is my command, Moony old boy."

**Sirius's POV:**

Remus tried to catch me outside the Potions classroom before James came out.

"Sirius."

"Mmm?" I turned around from Dolores, some fifth year who wanted to be my date to Hogsmeade this weekend. I remembered her name, I should get points for that.

He shifted uncomfortably and she got the hint and left.

"James has got this wild idea that I like Drew," He saw my face contort a bit, "But don't worry because I don't, so could you please tell him that I'm interested in somebody else?" He pleaded.

"Why would I worry?" I asked shiftily.

Remus rolled his eyes and ignored my attempt to ignore the small teensy weensy thing for Drew. "Please tell him."

"Sure." I said. "But you have to tell me who you do like."

"Oh, come on Sirius."

"No can do then." I started walking.

"Fine." He sighed. "Lily Evans, okay?"

"Oh." I said with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What do you mean, 'Oh'?" He asked.

"Er--nothing." I smiled.

"I know James fancies her and everything, but I cant really help it." Remus said quickly. "Besides, hasn't it been faltering a bit?" I asked hopefully.

"Lets get to dinner, mate." I clapped him on the back.

Oh shit. Oh shitty shit.

This is exactly what James was afraid of in the first place. He hadn't told anyone but us Marauders about his small crush on Lily Evans since fourth year. It had been growing, too.

Now I'd have to tell him about this new problem. Gods, why do I have to be so nice and caring? I'm too good-looking for this.

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A/N: You like? I hope so. This took forever, but I'm working on the next chapter right now, never fear.

The drunken night in the summary is next chapter, I need to set it all up, don't I?

I don't like asking for reviews, but...GIVE ME REVIEWS. Er...I mean, I need some to get motivation up for the first few chapters.

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What a pretty button right there!


	2. Very Intoxicated Idiot

**Disclaimer: **I wish I owned Lily and James, but I don't. And it would probably be bad if I did, because I'm in love with James Potter.

**Summary: **James is an ass to Lily. She hooks up with Remus Lupin out of drunken curiosity to spite James and her huge crush on him. Too bad curiosity killed the cat.

**ONE VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you read the first chapter, I've changed this story a bit and re read the summary to understand why its different.**

It's a nice **long **chapter so enjoy!

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**Chapter 2**

**Very Intoxicated Idiot**

"Knock Knock."

I looked up from my Charms essay that I was currently rewriting due my dear _best friend _James Potter when he 'accidentally' lit it on fire in the Common Room. Asshole.

"Drew, I think its for you." I called into the bathroom as I stuck my quill behind my ear. The door opened, and so much steam came out that I had trouble seeing my friend. "Um, was it hot enough in there?"

"No." Drew said seriously. She brushed her shoulder length highlighted brown hair, eyeing the door to their room suspiciously. "Who did you say it was?"

I shrugged, knowing full well that it was Amos Diggory, about to come in and harass Drew.

Before she could open the door, it burst open, revealing none other than Amos. I rolled my eyes as they began their usual morning routine.

"Diggory, get out of here!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm practically naked?" Drew slapped his hand away from her face.

"And?"

One loud, frustrated shout of a spell, and Amos was out of the room faster than ever.

Amos Diggory had this weird obsession with Drew and never left her alone. He was always around. Wherever we went, he was there. Sometimes by the lake under our oak, we could see him stalking around the bushes. Creepy.

"Cool." Drew said, happy that Amos was gone. "So, Lily are you hanging out with us today? We'll be by the lake under our oak again."

"Mm, how I'd love to but unfortunately I have to finish this," I pointed down at my parchment, "and then I will join you."

Drew shrugged and as soon as she was done dressing, she picked up her bag and was on her way out the door.

Now I was alone. Smiling, I heard a faint "Not now, Amos." Echo from downstairs and she smiled at his bothersome attitude.

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Those Marauders loved to secretly torture us. This was the common rule with the four guys, they had either dated or pranked every girl in sixth year. Me and my fantabulous friends were on the unfortunate side of the spectrum--well, unfortunate for most. Drew, Faye, and Persephone had never even considered dating Sirius (no), James (NO), Remus (maybe), and definitely not Peter (Ew).

I was obviously a different story.

**James's POV:**

"Come on, Prongsie." Sirius said when James landed on the grass, all sweaty and frustrated. "Cant you just shag her and be done with it?"

I just looked at him.

He could be--insensitive at times.

"Why not? That's what I do. And my party is tonight. You'll be drunk, she'll be drunk. It'll be perfect!"

"Sirius, there is a slight problem even if I were like you." I collapsed onto the ground and sat with my arms stretched out behind me. "She has a boyfriend."

"Has that ever stopped me?" Sirius asked.

Ignoring him I said, "You haven't gotten Drew anywhere near our dorms, so there."

Sirius glared at me. "I haven't even begun to try with her."

"Whatever." I sighed and looked off to the side. "Hey, you invited her and her friends tonight, right?"

"Uh…" Sirius said.

"Do it today."

"Fine." He said unhappily.

"You can get in with Drew." I coaxed. Wrong of me, I know. But this is for Lily!

His face changed a bit. "Well, lets go, I know you need a shower to smell nice for little old Lilykins."

I ignored him.

"Hey what happened to your girlfriend?"

"I think she is wandering around with Gregor somewhere."

"You just let her go on and about, with other lads?" Sirius asked.

"Eh, I'll break up with her tomorrow, then."

"Let her down gently, James." Sirius clutched his heart sadly.

I laughed and headed for the Gryffindor Common Room with Sirius. Then Sirius left me to go flirt with a girl he hardly knew.

Thanks, best friend!

**Lily's POV:**

Packing up my parchment and pulling the quill from behind my ear, I decided I could work on it at the Oak. Maybe I would run into my lumbering oaf boyfriend Harold by the lake, since we were having some problems and needed to talk.

Oh, right. Heh…

I have a boyfriend named Harold. He--well, that's about it, actually.

It was the beginning of the term and still warm, as a result I pulled on a pair of gray jeans and a brown lace camisole before I put my hair up in a pony tail. Dragging my unnecessarily heavy books along, I heaved them onto my shoulder and left the room.

Walking along the halls, I ran into a couple of people I knew and smiled at each of them as I walked by. Dropped my favorite silver ring as I waved at an impossibly nice girl named Gretchen Carson, I cursed and stopped to pick it up. As I stood, my smart ass moved forward without looking up, still trying to get the ring back onto my fat finger and bumped into someone's chest. Some boy's chest.

"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going--" I looked up. James. Of course. "Oh."

He looked down at me.

I tried to ignore him and side step, but I was slightly cornered.

"Watch where you're going, Evans." He smirked at me. "I know you'd love to touch me, but all you have to do ask."

God I HATE him.

I didn't even know what to say.

"I'd rather touch the--"

"Giant Squid?" He interjected. "Right, well I've heard that one before. You're running out of other options."

Was he about to start this whole asking me out thing again?

"I don't even know if the Giant Squid would have you."

Guess not.

I pushed past him angrily instead of crying out a really lame comeback. Which I was really good at. Trust me.

Fucking James Fucking Potter. Little prick.

He honestly didn't understand what he could do to a girl. No matter how rude, or malicious he was, he was still appealing.

Why? Who bloody knows! I sure as hell don't because his fucking charm works on ME.

I shook off thoughts of him and kept walking as I reached the grass and spotted my mates lounging around under the Great Oak which we called _our_ Great Oak. I walked up and noticed that Faye was sitting Indian-style, her blonde hair in braids and she weaved daisy chains through them. I smiled at my pretty friend and sat down against the tree next to Drew who was lying on her stomach, reading a fashion magazine.

"What took you so long?"

I grumbled something inaudible and opened my book.

"Did you run into lover boy?" Faye asked, handing me a daisy chain. She had millions on her lap. How long had she been there?

"Cute." I gave her a dirty look and went back to the book

"What?" Faye asked me sweetly. "We saw him walking towards the castle so I assumed."

"Don't assume." I said and then noticed that we were missing someone. "Where is Persephone?"

"I don't know, have you seen her?" Drew asked, flipping a page.

"She's probably stalking the Marauders." Faye said matter-of-factly. Sad thing is that we weren't making fun of her. It was probably true.

"Well, James and Remus were here for a bit." Drew said, turning a page. "Oh! That's cute."

I looked up, annoyed.

"Don't worry, Lil." Faye smiled. "He was only telling Drew that Quidditch practice was cancelled so she should tell her brother because he couldn't get a hold of him."

"Why would I worry?" I tucked a strand of auburn hair behind my ear, squinting out at the Quidditch Pitch. Idiot. Acting like I wasn't interested in Potter was the dumbest thing I could ever do around my friends.

Faye and Drew rolled their eyes at each other. See?

"What?" I couldn't look at them.

"When are you going to be done denying this thing you have for James?" Faye asked me as she put probably the twenty second daisy chain around her neck.

"I don't know." I sighed. "I need to find some way to just stay away from him as much as possible." But he was always around.

"I've got it!" Drew looked up.

"What?" I closed my book. At this rate I would never get this crap done.

"How about you hang out with your boyfriend more?" Drew asked with an innocent smile.

"Thanks." I said.

"Am I wrong?" Drew raised her eyebrow.

"No," I crossed my arms indignantly. "We're just having problems right now, you know that."

Faye and Drew did another one of their looks.

"God," I covered my eyes with my hands. "I hate you."

"Lil."

"Yes?"

"I forgot, Patrick says he never wants to see you again and he's sorry." Faye murmured.

"What?" I asked happily. "Why the sudden change?"

Faye shrugged.

"That's very odd." Drew remarked.

I looked up to see Seph who was walking up finally. She came and sat down next to me. "Seph."

She turned around with a questioning face.

Faye nodded to the left and smiled.

As soon as she saw the Marauders wandering around in their pack 100 feet away, she literally ran around in circles from excitement.

Drew and I groaned.

"Go go go!" Faye laughed at her.

Then Seph sprinted away.

I shielded my eyes from the pretty setting sun to watch the Marauders back away in horror, but to my surprise, they didn't. Sirius even hugged her. Then I noticed that I was staring when Remus looked our way and I quickly looked down.

"Is it me, or are they walking towards us?" Faye mused absentmindedly, picking a daisy out of the ground.

I looked up to see Seph bouncing around each boy energetically.

Drew and I gave each other horrified looks as they approached.

"Hello ladies." Sirius spoke in his arrogant drawl.

Drew kept on reading and Faye kept on pulling daisies, but I listened.

I smiled to show acknowledgement.

He went on, "We, the Marauders are having a party in the Gryffindor Common Room tonight at ten p.m. to celebrate my birthday."

"Oh, Happy Birthday, Sirius." I smiled.

He sort of ignored me. Ooooookay, cool guy.

Faye leapt up and put a daisy chain around his neck. "Happy B-Day." And then fell to her stomach again.

"Thank you." I could tell he was thinking we were an odd bunch of friends. "So, can you make it?" He seemed like he didn't really want to invite us much.

"I'll be there." Seph said with a maniac smile. "For sure."

"I guess we can go." Faye said slowly, wincing at Drew's already pissed off look. She hated the Marauders, obviously.

Faye smiled and nodded.

"We'll be there." Seph grinned.

James gave me a warm smile, "See you tonight."

What the--?

Then they were gone and Seph started to roll around on the grass excitedly. "Did you see? DID YOU SEE!" She jumped up and shook me. "They treated me as an equal! Gosh."

"Right, that's quite exciting." Faye murmured, uninterested in what she was saying. None of us really were.

Drew stayed silent and the burst out. "Why did you say we'd go?"

"Because they all came over and asked us very nicely." Faye said simply.

"Its time for dinner, ladies." I got up slowly, dusting myself off.

Drew rounded on me. "You don't seem very unhappy about this."

"Well, I figured I could just be there and socialize. I mean, free alcohol." I stammered.

"That's not why you want to go." Drew said.

Dammit. My master plan, foiled!

"Dinner time!" I announced.

As we walked, Drew mumbled and grumbled for about forty years about Sirius and his prat-like ways.

"He doesn't seem to understand that you can have friends that are girls, does he?" Faye asked.

"He thinks girls are shagging objects." Drew said bitterly.

Faye threw a couple of daisy chains around the people we knew as we walked by on the way to the Great Hall for dinner.

I kind of just stared at Faye, who had about fifty daisy chains around her neck.

"Do you ever do homework?" I asked her.

Faye sighed all spiritually and pulled a couple off to lei me and Drew.

"Get off me." Drew smacked her hand away and I took her daisy chains nicely.

"Babe!" Harold, my boyfriend called from the entrance of the Great Hall.

"You look nice today, love." He kissed me softly. Mmm.

"Thank you." I tried to genuinely smile up at his 6'1 frame. He was a Quidditch Keeper for Ravenclaw, after all. Having a fancy for Quidditch players, right? Yeah yeah I know what you're all thinking.

I took his hand and we walked over to the Ravenclaw table.

----------------------

"Why does she always walk over there with her stupid boyfriend?" James mused.

"He's her boyfriend." Remus noted simply.

"Oh." James really needed to stop thinking aloud. "But he is so dumb. I'm much smarter and obviously ridiculously dashing. He's like a big, lumbering, dumb, troll."

"James," Sirius said, "You're a Marauder, can't you think of a better insult than that? And leave her alone, insulting her and her boyfriend wont help her fancy you any."

"Well, he's gotten about half of that down so far." Peter quipped.

James saw Remus smile at that comment.

He was about to retort when he noticed Lily stand up suddenly and stomp over to her friends furiously.

**Lily's POV:**

"I cant take it anymore!" I complained as I plopped down next to Faye. "Charlotte this, Charlotte that. Why doesn't he just bloody marry the girl already?" I asked wildly. Maybe a little too wildly, I think I scared a couple of small first years nearby.

"What?" Faye asked her with that scary worried tone she always had.

"I hate her." I just sat there and fumed. And ate. A lot.

Lots of pie will do the trick.

Oh, lots of pie will NOT do the trick. I'm already feeling sick, having shoved down a couple of pieces.

I hope Harold sees me eat like a piggy. That would definitely top off my day.

Drew, always the health conscious one, gave me a very odd look. "Why are you eating like that?"

"I need chocolate." I looked around the table like a crazed madwoman.

"No you don't." Persephone ripped the chocolate muffin out of my hand.

"What is the matter with you?" Faye asked.

"Can't you three allow me to eat away my sorrows just this once?" I begged miserably and then noticed Persephone. "Where did you come from?"

"I've been here the whole time." Seph stared at me as if I was a loon. Me, a loon? Never.

"Uh, Lily?" Someone said from behind me.

I turned around, pies shoved all around my face and all, to see Harold looking down at me expectantly. I smiled, showing all my goey pie filled teeth.

He sat down next to me. "Why'd you leave?" He asked quietly.

Anyway, who cares about that git, we fought a little and he went back to his table. Same schpeel.

By the way, when the Marauders walked in, Sirius handed Drew a rose and sat down. She only stared at it, a bit scared. Then Faye figured out that it was a formal invitation to the party tonight.

"Why'd he give it to _you_?" Seph asked, a bit resentful.

"Because he loves her and wanted to show his true affection for her." I said sarcastically. Hah, yeah right. He hated all of us.

We all laughed pretty hard and started to branch off to more important conversation.

**James' POV:**

We all heard Lily's comment on the rose. Ouch for Sirius.

He looked a bit unhappy but what could we say to him anyway? He was the one who acted dumb and arrogant all the time because he took a liking to Drew.

Are you calling me a hypocrite!

Then I saw Remus staring at Lily again. Dammit.

"So, who is getting drunk tonight?" I tried.

"Me." Sirius cheered up.

I knew it would do the trick.

"Remus?" He asked.

"No, not tonight mates." He sighed. "I think I might just stay for a couple of hours."

"What? Why?" I asked. Happily. That meant more Lily for me. That is, if I could get her to talk to me.

**Lily's POV:**

Later, in our dorm, I was being "convinced".

"Lily, nonsense, its good that Harold is being a douche bag because now you can break up with him and get with James!" Drew said simply.

I looked at her. "Are you crazy? James is--NO!"

"Well, lets just get your mind off Harold tonight. It's a party!" Drew said. "Even if its for pratboy and the female population of Hogwarts will be wearing the smallest mini dresses and more makeup than a fifty pence prostitute."

Faye gave her a strange look.

"Well great, now I can drink away my problems." I said sarcastically.

Drew stopped. "That's what I do."

"Please go, Lily please?" Persephone begged me on her knees and held her hands up to me. "You said you would go."

I sat there for a few seconds and attempted to see that it would be fun. Although my idea of fun is not watching my huge crush flirting and hooking up with a bunch of random girls. "Fine, whatever." I sighed.

"Yes! Thank you!" Seph and Faye danced around the room excitedly. Eventually they dragged me off my bed of sorrows and made me dance with them in our underwear. Yeah, you thought _your_ friends were crazy.

I slipped on brown cords and a long billowy green tank top. Might as well look cute, no? My messy hair fell on my shoulders and I didn't really care about that.

"Can we go please?" Seph, the ever patient one was practically crawling up the walls.

We walked down the staircase to arrive at the dimly lit common room that reeked of booze. Music was loud and kids were already drinking.

The Marauders had figured out how to sound proof a room so that no one could hear anything, even if they were a millimeter away. I heard them talking about it in Transfiguration one day when I was staring at James.

I mean--what?

I pushed through two fellow sixth years lads to get to the alcohol. They kind of winked at me in a sloshy gross way and I pretended to see someone across the room and waved fanatically to get away. Then they turned around to see me waving at the alcohol table.

I grinned and poured myself a shot. Or two. Or five. Whoa, that was all for now. I was feeling a pretty woozy already.

(A/N: Um, I'm relating this to my personal experiences, embarrassingly enough, so if you think five shots doesn't get you pretty drunk, you are sorely wrong.)

Drew came up to me about ten minutes later and smiled at me. "Lily, thank you soooo much for making me come. I mean I still hate basically everyone here, but there are plenty of attractive lads to work with."

I laughed at her drunken state and stumbled around to find a seat. I was loosening up a little bit. Or a lot a bit. But who was counting?

I found Faye. She was pretty drunk, but so was I. She went over and sat with some girls from our year. Party pooper. I could have sworn I saw Seph sneaking around each Marauder. Even drunk she worshiped them, but who was counting?

I turned around and knocked into a table and lost my balance while someone caught me.

I looked up, positively horrified to James Potter--holding--me. I wrenched myself out of his grasp and steadied myself. Then this girl with purple came up and clutched his arm with her talons, looking up at him with puppy eyes.

Little bitch.

I turned away and walked over to a corner and sat down. Alone.

I saw miss purple hair positively _hanging_ on James and I was so distracted I didn't see that Remus Lupin had just walked up to me. Ew, I was _staring_ at him.

Stop being such a stalker, Lily.

"Remus!" I gave him a generous hug. I barely knew the guy, but who was counting?

"Having fun?" He sat down next to me, against the wall, on the floor.

"Oh, of course!" I smiled at him. He was pretty darn cute. With those blue eyes and sandy hair. Not bad. Right. How had I never noticed that before?

Then the weirdest and worst possible thing that could have happened, happened. We looked at each other, our faces close. Then, just to spite James, I grabbed his face and planted my lips on his.

Heh, yeah. I'm _really_ stupid. He seemed surprised, but he kissed back. He was a really good kisser, not gonna lie. I felt kind of guilty because I didn't even like Remus. Heck, I didn't even _know_ him! But I was drunk so I pushed it away, and who was counting anyway?

He tugged on my lower lip with his teeth slightly and I was pleasantly surprised. Oh, so you want to play it like that?

I gave him a few ferocious bites on his neck and we kept going at it. It was oddly satisfying. I wouldn't ever get James anyway, so why not? And who the hell was counting?

**Sirius's POV:**

I looked over at Remus and Lily hooking up all over the place and prayed that James hadn't seen them yet.

Oh, good. Some girl was distracting him. Some hideous girl. Alright, buddy you can do much better than that.

I made my way over and started to speak but it was too late. James had seen Remus and Lily and dropped his jaw unintentionally.

"James--" I tried.

He didn't say anything and just walked up to our room faster than a fast fast thing on fast pills. (A/N: Anyone read the Louise Rennison Georgia books? Haha!)

-----------------------------------

**A/N: **I had SO MUCH FUN writing that chapter! My favorite yet of all the stories I've posted. I think its because I like writing hook up scenes.

Did you guy understand the "But who was counting?" bit? Drunk people say that a lot. More than a couple of times. Or maybe that's…just…me?

I HOPE YOU LIKED IT. Free sex dreams about James Potter for those who review!


	3. Hopelessly Screwed Dumbtard

**A/N: **The aftermath! So excited!

**Disclaimer: **Blah blah JK owns it all.

**Summary: **James is an ass to Lily. She hooks up with Remus Lupin out of drunken curiosity to spite James and her huge crush on him. Too bad curiosity killed the cat.

**I made some MORE changes so please re read the first and second chapters. Or the summary. Okay no more changes I promise, enjoy!**

**------------------------------**

**Chapter 3**

**Hopelessly Screwed Dumbtard**

**Lily's POV:**

"I DID WHAT!" I screamed.

"Lily, shut up!" Faye covered my mouth. "Its like seven in the morning."

"I did what!" I whispered frantically.

"You hooked up with Remus Lupin." Seph answered.

"Yes, I bloody well know that." I said. "I was asking for emphasis."

"Oh." Seph said.

Dumb git.

Hadn't she ever seen one of those overly dramatic films?

"I cant believe myself. Oh God, its all coming back to me." I rested my head in my hands as I sat Indian style on my bed.

"Was he a good kisser?" Faye asked me.

"Faye!" Drew scolded her.

"What?"

"Yes, he was." I moaned unhappily. "He was amazing and we were so into it and oh my god I've completely screwed myself, haven't I?"

Drew nodded.

Well I was hoping she would say "No dear, of course not." But I guess not.

"Thing is I cant really remember how I got to my bed last night." I pondered about it for a while. Then it all _really_ came back to me.

**Flashback**

"Mmph, Remus?" I said between kisses.

"Mmm?" He could barely open his eyes.

"I--I think, Oh, goodness." He was sucking on my neck with a tenderness and bit of force. It was almost perfect.

He took time to stop and stare at me. "What was it you were going to say?" His lips were an inch away from mine and it took all I had in my drunken body not to kiss him again.

Then my stomach lurched.

"I'm sorry Remus."

"Why?"

"I--I think I'm going to be sick." I covered my mouth and stood and ran away all in about three seconds. A new record.

I ran upstairs as fast I could and bumped into someone. Then I threw up all over that person.

One guess as to who that person was.

I'll give you one.

Right.

James freaking Potter.

What he was doing up near the girls dormitories, I have no clue. But the point was, I'd just thrown up all over him. He looked furious with me.

Honest mistake.

I think he could see I was feeling particularily bad and took me to my room and had me retch into the toilet while he held my hair back. What a good guy. Even drunk, I was surprised.

How romantic.

He used some weird spell to get the vomit off his clothes and then wiped my forehead with his sleeve.

"James, why are you helping me?" I managed to choke out.

He just stared at me. Kind of with mixed emotions. Hey--I didn't blame him, I'd just thrown up on him and he probably felt really sorry for me.

Then I passed out and my head hit the cold hard toilet.

**End Flashback**

Oh, that's how.

I whimpered and fell onto my back. I covered my face in shame before I said the next thing. "I did it to spite James."

"What? Lily no!" Faye said hysterically. "Why would you do something like that? Remus probably fancies you!"

"Or he probably expects something." Drew remarked.

Thank you, Drew.

"Remus is not like that." Seph stood up for one of her lovely Marauder children.

"And what about Harold?" Drew looked at me with one of those looks that you know you are getting even if you aren't facing the person. You can feel the stare burning into the side of your head.

So I ignored that very complicated part of the problem--my boyfriend.

"I really cant handle all this _plus_ a hangover." I said, pulling my covers up over my face. There was no way I was showing my face around the castle today. It would be so awkward with Remus and especially his friends. They all probably thought I was crazy.

I am. But that's not the point.

"Wait, Remus fancies me?"

Yes, even in this state, I felt flattered. I mean, because--he was good looking and I didn't think I had _that_ kind of potential…

"You so do not deserve to be flattered right now, Lily." Drew stared at me incredulously.

"I need chocolate." I cried, changing the subject. "Or weed. Either would do."

"No!" Faye ripped my covers off.

"Hey." I moaned.

"You are not going to stay in bed baked all day, Lily." She shrieked.

"God, alright _alright _I'll go to class." I said wearily. "How the hell am I going to deal with this?"

Persephone sat down and rubbed my shoulder. "You'll figure something out."

"I hope so." I sighed.

"Maybe it wont be so bad, Lil." Drew sat down on my bed too. "I don't think anyone even saw you two."

**A few hours later…**

"Great job, Lil!" Someone yelled and another catcalled horrendously.

"How's the baby?"

Oh yeah, it had been going on like this all day. Catcalls and congratulations left and right.

ALL DAY.

Thanks, Drew. Yeah, pretty much EVERYONE had seen us making out on the floor. And even the Slytherins were bugging me about it. The rumors had spread like wildfire so people who weren't even there were annoying me. That's the Hogwarts way, no?

It was only one p.m. and I'd heard some of the weirdest rumors ever. These were my personal favorites:

**1. I'm pregnant with Remus's child. **

I _know!_

I wish.

Just kidding. I'm going to hell for sure.

**2. Remus and I are secretly eloping because my parents are trying to kill him.**

Well--I don't even know what to say about that one.

So unfair! I don't even--well, I guess I deserved it a bit. Or maybe a lot.

"Oh God." I tried my best to cover my face with my dark red hair as more students walked by me. Not that it would help me look any more inconspicuous, actually.

Walking alone, I sped along the corridors to get to the Common Room as fast as possible. My next class was Charms in an hour so I'd rather stay cooped up in my dorm room away from ridicule than subject myself to it in public.

"You." Victoria Magar, A.K.A. James Potter's current girlfriend stalked up and pushed my stack of books onto the floor from my arms. "You are the reason James and I broke up. You know that don't you?"

Scratch that-- Ex-Girlfriend, now.

I looked down at my books sadly. Did she absolutely _have_ to push them onto the floor? "Er…excuse me? Why?"

"He blamed our break up on you!" She looked like she had tears in her eyes. Oh man, now I felt _really_ bad. I didn't even know this chick and had apparently ruined her life.

"I don't understand. What did I do?"

"He and Remus are competing for your attention, dumbshit." She said acidly, wiping her eye.

"I'm so confused right now. They what?"

Poor me. Ugh, poor Remus.

"You, are a bitch." She flipped her platinum hair over her shoulder. "That's all there is to it. You don't deserve him."

"Victoria! I really didn't mean--" Victoria held her manicured hand up and walked away. "..to break you up." I finished.

Well, great.

She was right, I didn't deserve Remus. Not at all. He was way too sweet for his own good. Well, maybe, if he didn't hate me I could get to like him.

Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I sighed. "I give up." I bent down and grabbed the books slowly, feeling miserable.

"Lily?" A soft voice asked from behind.

I whipped around and relief washed over my bones as I saw Faye looming over me. "Thank God its you." I stood up.

"Lets go up to the dorms. Is that where you were headed?"

"Yes," I sigh. "But I was detained by Victoria Magar."

"Why?"

"She said I broke her and James up because they're both competing for my attention."

"_WHAT?_" Faye looked at me like I was crazy.

Well, thanks.

"I don't know, she's crazy." I said, wishing I hadn't said anything at all.

"Oh." Faye pulled her hair up into a ponytail, letting a few short strands fall in her face. "Screw her."

"Faye! I apparently ruined her life. _I'm _the bad one."

"No, she was just one of his bimbos anyway. She's a mean girl who lives and breathes James Potter. Bumble cut."

"Like everyone else at this school."

I think she was spending too much time with Drew. I smiled at her gratefully as we made our way through the portrait hole. Here we go.

The Marauders were lounging around two sofas together looking as lazy and astoundingly arrogant as ever. But they looked odd. James and Remus were really far away from each other. Sirius was speaking softly and seriously.

They were probably planning a prank. On Slytherins. Assholes.

See, ordinarily I'd go over and lounge with them. Well, not today!

"Oh no, Faye, they're here! What do I do? Oh God! Fuck, what do I do?" I whispered frantically, wanting to die right then and there. I hid behind her as best I could. Good thing she weighed two pounds and I weighed--well, lets just say it wasn't two pounds.

I never thought I'd have to come face to face with them this quickly, to be truly honest. I'd managed to skip out on breakfast and sit in the back in the dark in Transfiguration.

It might've worked had Professor McGonagall not asked me flat out why I was sitting so far away from my usual seat (front row center). I stammered something inaudible and the Marauders all gave me bewildered looks. I wanted to kill them. My whole class too, actually.

"Christ, Lily. Just ignore them." Faye led the way to the staircases. "And stop cursing so much, you're beginning to sound like Drew."

Well, I could say the same to her, too. That would teach her to give me lip.

I comically shielded myself with my books as I crept by the Marauders behind Faye. I almost got to the staircase when I bumped into Faye, who was standing still. So I straightened up to see Faye smiling and twirling her hair as she popped her hip out to flirt with Gregor Davies.

I looked at her incredulously and smacked her behind with my books.

"Ow, Lily!" Faye rubbed her butt tenderly and gave Gregor a pained smile. "I have to go, Greg. Talk to you at lunch?"

He winked at her and walked off.

Facing me, she apologized. "Sorry, he's really hot."

I rolled my eyes and turned toward the staircase but came face to face with someone. Some boy. My eyes widened as I realized it was none other than my dear friend Remus. Oh shit. I could claw my own eyes out right now rather than see him.

I stealthily ran up the staircase and made my escape.

I didn't care about what he had to say, I couldn't face him. I felt so stupid.

-----------------

In History of Magic, I was explaining everything to Drew while Professor Binns droned on.

"What an asshole." She whispered.

"I don't get it. What Victoria said--it just doesn't make any sense."

Drew shrugged. "She's and overdramatic bitch. Get used to it."

I accepted that as an answer.

I was so emotional and agitated by the end of classes that day, I flipped out any time someone talked to me. Unintentionally of course.

"Lily." I heard a familiar voice.

"Remus."

Again?

Icing on the cake, really.

"Hi." He shifted oddly.

"Uh," I was desperately searching for a way to set myself on fire. That sounds harsh, doesn't it? Well after what I went through today, it was nothing.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" He asked flat out.

"Well, Remus, you see--"

"Lily Evans, may I please see you over here for a second, my dear?"

We both turned to see Professor Slughorn coming towards us. I never thought in my life that he would be my savior.

Remus gave me a look that I couldn't decipher and walked away after about forty years.

"Hi Professor." I smiled awkwardly.

"Would you care to join me in my classroom, Ms. Evans?" He asked me seriously. "I have a business favor to ask of you."

"Sure." What the hell, eh?

How much worse could it get?

We walked into his classroom and sitting there was James. Were we like magnetically attached or something? I mean, _really_.

"Take a seat, Lily." He smiled at me as I awkwardly hovered around the chairs. He really expected me to sit next to James. I felt so ashamed to be around him. Actually Professor, I threw up on him so I don't think he wants to be near me very much.

Just kidding.

I sat down gingerly and took notice of James's flushed cheeks. He was probably playing Quidditch earlier. Awkward…

"I asked you both here today for a large favor."

"What is it, Professor?" James asked.

We both stared at him as he became even more annoyingly jolly than usual.

"I would like the both of you to work together on a holiday project leading up to Christmas. It is typical to pick the two most hardworking students in their year, so I chose you two naturally."

Oh yes, naturally.

He continued. "You will schedule, host, decorate, and plan everything for a Hogwarts Christmas extravaganza. I have good faith in both of you and the Headmaster does as well."

Um, excuse me, WHAT?

That was like…like… three months. Three months of working side by side on something stupid (because all Slughorn's ideas were stupid) so I can embarrass myself some more in front of James? He hated me now. Well--more than usual.

Well, it was obvious that James would say no because he probably didn't want to work with me so I wouldn't throw up on him. Which saddened me a little. Even if that is really selfish of him. I mean, I was drunk. What was I supposed to do, throw up on myself? Ew, never.

"We'll do it." James said and got up to shake Slughorn's hand. And he was gone.

I just sat there, bewildered. Did that really just happen?

---------------

A/N: Er…yeah. You like? You hate? You tell me? Before I hurt you?

Ca-can I have some reviews?


	4. Dumped Girl

**A/N: **Hope you liked the third chapter, I'm having a lot of fun writing this. Finally

**Disclaimer: **Blah blah JK owns it all.

**Summary: **Lily's Brilliant Plan to get over her crush: get drunk and hook up with Remus Lupin to spite James Potter

_**Ooooooooooooo**_

**So, on an important note, I'm very thankful for your concerns and reviews telling me to continue, I thank you for the bit of criticism as well. It all helped immensely. I am deciding to continue with this story and its all thanks to you! I have some really good ideas that explain Remus and James and Lily and their idiotic mannerisms.**

**Those of you who HATE that Lily and Remus have something right now, you'll understand later, its ALL part of the plan!**

**Thank you so much!**

_**ooooooooooooo**_

----------------

**Chapter 4**

**Dumped Girl**

**Lily's POV:**

"Thank you, Professor." I shakily stood and went out the door after James. I stood outside, looking down each hall, deciding to go left. Then I saw him walking a bit quickly. Like he wanted to get away from me.

Well, that's sort of messed up.

I sort of jogged up to him to apologize and stuff. I figured that it was the least I could do.

"James." I finally caught up to him.

He stopped and looked at me. Then I realized how out of breath I was. I had to hold one finger up while I bent, hands on knees, to retrieve my breath. Embarrassing? Why yes, that's my middle name.

I made a mental note to start jogging with Faye and Drew in the morning.

"I just wanted to thank you for helping me last night." I said very quickly.

"It was nothing." He said stiffly and resumed walking.

Er…okay?

I caught up to him again. I mean, I've never been thrown up on before, but you would think someone would get over it by now, right?

"Are you alright, James? I mean--I am sorry about it. Honestly." I tried. As much as I fucking hated him (and loved him), I felt really bad.

He looked at me like he was about to say something. I stared at him, noticing that he looked a bit happier.

"I hope your robes aren't stained." I laughed.

Then his face was rigid and emotionless again. Did he mistake me? What else could I be apologizing for?

**James's POV:**

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" She asked me, worry in her eyes. Was she really asking me this?

Not go out with Remus please?

Marry me?

"Just try not to vomit on me while we work on this holiday project." I said lightly.

"Oh, right." She sort of _winced_ at my mention of our working together.

Thank the heavens that Sirius was waiting for me at the entrance of the Great Hall because it would have gotten increasingly awkward if we were there alone together.

"James my boy." He came up to me and gave Lily an appraising look as she walked by him into the Great Hall.

So we walked in after her.

It had been uncomfortable with Remus, to say the least. I was a bit pissed with him when everything happened. Okay, well I was really pissed, but that's not the point. We both fancied Lily, but no one knew about my infatuation, and his was all over Hogwarts. For christsakes they thought she was pregnant with his baby.

Over my dead body.

"Where have you been?" Sirius asked me angrily. "That crazy friend of Lily's wont leave me alone."

I looked down the table at Seph. She was eating and when she saw the four of us look at her, she dropped her fork and her mouth hung open. Then I saw Lily close her mouth with her hand and she realized we were all staring at her.

She grimaced and turned to her friends.

**Lily's POV:**

"Have you even spoken to Harold since this whole thing happened?" Drew asked me AS SOON AS I SAT DOWN.

She didn't waste any time, did she?

Bitch.

"I've been avoiding him all day." I said, mouth full.

"Ew, Lily." Faye recoiled and Seph laughed appreciatively.

"What?" I let my mouth hang open as much as I could allow. What? I know I'm cute.

Drew gave me a disgusted look.

"What? I'm hungry." I chewed loudly, just to piss her off. I was smacking my mouth open and shut noisily and chomping with the gall of a thousand kings. Aye, I could be a real poet. I know you were thinking that.

She looked a bit displeased. "That's not why I'm looking at you."

I swallowed and put my fork down slowly then looked straight at Drew. "I get it, Drew. I'm stupid, I hooked up with someone I wasn't supposed to just to hurt someone else, I'm a BIG bitch." I was breathing heavily, and my friends were just staring at me.

"Calm down, you're acting like we're ganging up on you." Drew said.

"No, Drew." I fumed. "You _are_ ganging up on me. Don't you think I feel bad? Don't you think I understand what's going to happen and what I deserve?"

She just sat there, looking. I picked up my bag and heaved it onto my shoulder.

"Please just leave me alone, I already feel enough like shit." I said quietly and walked towards the entrance of the Great Hall. I was stepping carefully, making sure not to knock into anyone or trip on my grand exit or anything dumb like that that I would most likely do.

I had almost made it, but I was stopped right at the doors. By Harold. Fucking Drew.

FUCKING yuBEVijkmvlffgg IT HAD TO BE ggfuireb HAROLD

Jkbvdisguivdhioeriurtit\rhrk

Jrwkeurnvoi56

hoi9epqw9fukkljfkfkfdfdfkldfkljfukfukfukfukfukfukFUCK

"Hey." I said softly, not looking at his face.

"Lily." He said, concerned. "Are these rumors about you and Remus…are they, you know…"

"Depends on which ones you're talking about," I attempted a smile.

Bad choice.

"Lily, I'm serious. What's going on."

Sensing the ENTIRE school's eyes on us, I decided to steer him out of the Great Hall to chat somewhere quieter. I could have sworn I heard groans from the student body behind us when we left. Nosy bastards.

I situated him at a spot next to a stained glass window so I could jump out in case he tried to kill me. Or I could push him out and make a run for it. But that would make me a murderer. So I guess not.

"You see, I--"

The look on his face was the worst thing I could have anticipated.

"They're true, aren't they?" He asked with venom in his voice. Oh boy.

"Not all of them--"

"You cheated on me, didn't you?" He asked me.

I couldn't say yes. I mean what could I say?

I bit my lip and everything sort of came rushing to me at once. All my emotions in dealing with the rumors, not having James, ruining my relationship with Harold, overwhelmed me.

He grabbed my shoulders and set his face close to mine. "Answer me!"

Aw, shit.

"I'm so sorry, Harold, its because--" He threw me against the wall, pretty hard, I might say.

"You bitch, after everything we've been through, you went and cheated on me with some guy you hardly know?" He was seriously enraged.

I really had no idea what to do next, I was rubbing my shoulder. It hurt from being unnecessarily thrown against the wall. I just looked at him, holding my shoulder.

Then he stopped and the color drained from his face quickly. "Lily. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I--I thought--"

We just stared at each other, shock on my face and regret on his.

"I'm sorry Harold. I know I did a really shitty thing." I spoke up finally.

"Yeah, you did." He interrupted.

Not making me feel better, asshole.

"I think we should, er…stop trying to--you know,"

"I would never," He said. "think of staying with you after all this. You have no respect for me and our relationship obviously meant _nothing_--"

"Harold, no--"

"Shut up Lily. There really isn't anything you can say to make this any better or easier. Just--" He ran a hand through his hair. "Just stay away from me."

And he walked away.

I was just dumped.

I just stood there and leaned against the wall, rubbing my head. This was all turning into such a big nightmare. I didn't think it could get any worse.

But it did.

Out of the Great Hall came the first person I wanted to see.

Not.

It was Drew, looking around for me. She spotted my sorry ass against the wall, red-faced, and miserable. I wasn't crying but I was upset. I felt incredibly worn.

I looked up at her and she came towards me. "I told you that this would happen."

Really now?

"I knew you should have spoken to him earlier--"

"Drew!" I yelled angrily. "Stop! Not right now, cant you see the state I'm in?"

"Well I told you--"

I just stalked away. It was the only way to get away from her without killing her. How could she keep coming at me like that to make me feel guilty? I do! She couldn't leave me alone for a second!

I dashed up to my dorm room, tripped on the way up the stairs and all my books flew forward and hit the wall.

"Dammit." I moaned, pulling myself up and sitting on the top step. I was pulling my books together and shoving into my bag with brutal force. I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry.

Oh shit, I'm crying.

"Okay that's enough. Pull yourself together." I just wiped the remainder of my tears away and ran a hand through my hair. "I must have pink, splotchy, ugly cheeks right now."

"You know, Lily, talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity." A male voice came from the bottom of the stairs.

I think I literally jumped up a stair. I looked down to see Sirius Black of all people walking up towards me.

"Er…hi, what exactly are you doing here?" I asked him wearily, hoping all traces of tears were gone by then.

He shrugged, hands in pockets then leaned against the wall a couple of steps down. Standing in his arrogant posture, eyes fixed on the ceiling. I _guess_ I could see why girls fancied him. Sort of.

"Your lovely friend slapped me when I told her to leave you alone." He said simply, rubbing his left cheek.

I looked up at him with raised eyebrows. "Drew hit you?"

He looked at me and nodded.

"Why?"

"Well, I sort of smacked her arse--" He saw my startled face. "I'm just kidding Lily. She was upset that I told her to leave you alone."

"Well, thank you." I said. Crazy bitch. "I'm sorry about that."

"Is she always that crazy?"

I nodded. "She was just mad at me for not confronting my now ex boyfriend about the whole Remus thing." I thought about it for a bit and started thinking aloud. "I don't even know why I did that."

He seemed to perk up at that so I looked at him curiously but it went away as fast as it came.

"I wanted to apologize…" Sirius started.

I was really taken aback. Sirius Black was not one to apologize. To anyone. "For what?" I asked him and he came over and sat next to me on the step.

"I felt kind of guilty for being rude to you. You know, for about five years. But especially lately." He said, frowning at the stair below him.

"Its alright, Sirius," I smiled, feeling very good about myself now. "I never really took offense to it." Okay, I did. But I wanted to be nice.

He smiled back at me and nodded. Then he stood up and walked slowly down the stairs, stopping to turn around one last time. "We should be friends, Lily. I hear a lot about you all the time anyway."

I nodded, feeling happy. But wait--from who?

"Oh, and your friend--" He stopped for a moment to think. "Can you tell Faye that I say never mind?"

It dawned on me. "Are you the one who--"

"Ah ah ah Lily." He held up a finger. "Not a word to anyone."

"Wait," I stood and put my books on a stair. "Why 'never mind'?"

"Good bye, Lily!" He threw over his shoulder.

Holy shit. Sirius Black was the one who fancied Drew? Well I guess it was good that he changed his mind. She hates him.

Too much information to take in, I picked up my things and went into my dorm room and flopped onto my bed. I sat there thinking. I guess it was a good thing that Harold and I broke up, but that was about seven months of nothing, now.

I blew a raspberry in the air as I rolled onto my back, thinking. Well, at least I have a new friend. It could be a way to get closer to James.

I was rudely interrupted when the door burst open and Drew stood there fuming. Aw, fuck. Here it comes again.

"Can you believe that asshole?" She was positively steaming from the ears.

I sat up and looked at her like she was crazy. "Did you forget for a second that you hate me?"

"Oh yeah, sorry about that, didn't mean to make you mad." She brushed me off and that was that. "But _really_ I was just standing there and _Sirius_ comes over and…"

She went on and on about him while I sat there, utterly confused. I gave up and settled with the thought that Drew was basically insane. She was honestly livid with Sirius! What had he done?

"What did he do to you to make you so enraged?" I asked when she took a brief pause.

"He--he told me to calm down and leave you alone."

"And?"

"How DARE he speak to me like that!" She said.

Okay?

I saw Persephone and Faye run up to the door and widen their eyes at Drew's ranting. I shrugged and mouthed "Sirius". Seph started laughing as she recalled whatever had happened down there. Faye smiled, relieved that she wasn't mad at me anymore because she had someone else to bitch about.

They came over and sat with me, consoling me about Harold until it was time to go to Transfiguration. I left first so they could stay and calm Drew.

**James's POV:**

"Prongs, what are you staring at?" Sirius nudged me while we were in class.

I ruffled my hair and snapped out of my trance. I was staring at the back of Lily's head, naturally. I shook my head at him, hoping he would shut up. Professor McGonagall was teaching us how to turn glow worms into quills and I was having a lot of difficulty. I mean, I'm pretty good at Transfiguration, so what the hell?

I saw Remus hovering over Lily with his helpful demeanor and I almost smashed a glow worm with my fist.

**Lily's POV:**

"Hi."

Shit, Remus again.

I looked up at him and gave him a pained smile.

He sort of…laughed at me and ran a hand through his sandy hair.

"May I?" He gestured to the empty seat next to me that I was saving for one of my stupid friends. ALL of which were late. They had hell to pay for inadvertently seating me next to Remus Lupin.

"Of course." I said, my mind racing to different ways of turning him down nicely. I mean, I couldn't really say: Sorry Remus, I'm actually in love with your best friend, could you give me a leg up with that?

"I've been trying to talk to you." His eyes bore into the side of my head. "About something important, to explain something to you."

Just kill me. Right now.

Here it is, the 'Lily, I have feelings for you' bit where I have to patiently and sweetly turn him down.

"I did a terrible thing." He stated finally.

"I'm sorry--what?" I asked.

"I know what you've been thinking." He laughed again. Stop laughing at me, damn you. "You think I'm obsessed with you, right?"

"No! Of course not." I laughed awkwardly.

He just looked at me.

I meekly nodded.

"I'm really sorry, Lily. I've been…sort of trying to teach someone a lesson. I really didn't want to drag you into it and USE you, but it was the only thing I could do."

I was befuddled, to say the least. But HAPPY! Remus doesn't fancy me! I could have kissed him. But that was out of the question, obviously.

"Okay good." I saw him look relief and my relief and continued. "I was ready to turn you down, my lad."

He laughed at me and I laughed along. "This is all my fault. But to be completely fair, Lily, I was doing it all to make one of my dimwitted mates take some action."

"Who? And why?" I asked.

"Well, who is the one person I know who used to fancy you?"

"Er…James." My heart fluttered. "But he was just messing about, that's why I always turned him down."

Remus looked surprised. "Why would you think that?"

"I cant take him seriously, Remus." I said, frowning. "He's James Potter. I'm sure he just wanted to see if he could get me." I stammered. Why was he looking at me like that?

"Lily, he wasn't joking with you."

Realization dawned on me. Oh my god, he must have been serious. How was that possible? I could have sworn it was all some big prank or bet against me.

"Well, alright, so he was serious about going after me." I mused. "I'm sure he's gotten over it by now. I mean, he isn't very nice to me."

Remus just smiled at me.

"What?"

"Did I hear a hint of sadness in your tone, Lily?" He asked with a smirk.

Fuck you, finding out my secret.

"No." I said with finality.

"That's why I…did what I did. Nothing would make James realize that he should be nice to you unless drastic action was taken. And, if I'm not mistaken," He went on, "I could help you out with him."

I looked at him.

"If you wanted the help, of course."

Oh, yeah. He knew. Smart asshole.

I ignored him, trying to concentrate on my glow worm. "This is hard."

"Your secret is safe with me." He leaned in and whispered.

Fuck!

I looked at him with a small, wounded smile. I couldn't deny it, he would never believe me _now_. I gave him a big hug and we heard something crash behind us.

I looked round to see James standing, clutching his wand in his fist, his tray knocked onto the ground. The little glow worms were writhing all over the classroom floor.

He looked absolutely furious and was staring right at us.

---------------------

A/N: Again, thanks for the help and encouragement you guys. Do you hate me for leaving you with a cliffhanger?


	5. Sad Girl in Denial

A/N: Okay it's been about a year but I finally have time to keep this up! I'm sure whoever reads this will be new to the story, so enjoy and please feel free to leave constructive criticism.

No more death threats please!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter :(

--

**Lily's POV:**

So, that was awkward. To say the least. McGonagall flipped a shit on James for knocking the glowworms over and I turned around to avoid the death stare I could feel burning a hole into the back of my head.

I know, telekinesis!

I love you James! Not Remus! We're tricking you!

I turned around… no, still going with the narrowed eyes. Quite frightening I must say. A bit sexy too.

I'm surely going to hell.

A few hours later I was outside by the lake trying to work out my nerves with some of Faye's karma yoga spirit stuff. Couldn't hurt, right?

"Now take a deep breath until you cant let any more air into your body and then let it out very slowly until you have released all of the negative energy you feel…"

Blah blah blah I wonder where James is. I wonder if he is thinking about me. Well if he is they're probably not good thoughts. Maybe they're dirty thoughts—

"Lily, breathe." Faye hummed.

This obviously isn't my thing.

I sat Indian style next to her with my open palms on each knee facing the lake. The sun was setting and it was all very beautiful but honestly I don't have time for this crap. I have to find a way to tell James how I feel without him flipping out on me because of the whole I-hooked-up-with-his-best-friend thing so it would probably take along while for him to forgive me for that—

"Lily, are you breathing?" Faye asked in her mellow tone.

"Er—yeah," I snapped out of it quickly.

"_Breathe,_ Lily." She sighed. Her eyes were closed. How the hell is she so Zen? I can't be arsed with this foolish breathing at the moment! Honestly, I know how to _breathe_. I don have time for this! I have a crisis!

"I know you aren't relaxing and that will be the first step to solving this problem." She said in the same tone.

Loon.

Well…maybe she was right. Stressing myself wasn't doing much good at the moment.

Oh, toss it.

I jumped up and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Faye I cant." I said with my hands on my hips.

She nodded and kept breathing with her eyes closed. "Go back, take a run…work it off."

I rolled my eyes since I know she couldn't see it.

"Don't roll your eyes, it will do you good." She sighed.

What the?

"Alright, well I'm heading back in." I grabbed my bag and trudged my way back up the hill. I looked back to see her in the same position as before. Loony, I'm telling you.

I had a new problem as well. If James ever fancied me, he definitely didn't anymore. Every time I saw him he scowled at me though it seemed that he and Remus had patched things up.

I know! So unfair.

I suppose _I'm_ the bad guy now. That definitely makes sense…

Anyway, like clockwork every time I passed him the hall after potions (a time of day I would wait for and reapply lippy right before) he would turn in the opposite direction. Lucky me. If I saw him in the dining hall he would sit as far away as possible. And it has only been one week.

I even went as far as attempting a SMILE at him a couple of days ago and he ignored it once again.

Idiot. Pratboy.

The unfortunate thing is it only fuels my crush on him because I feel like I lost the days where he would tease and flirt with me. How stupid of me to think it was all in jest and push him away.

I hate myself.

I hate my life.

I hate James Potter.

Even though I want to be Lily Potter.

Shut up brain! Oh my god, _please_ kill me.

Damn it.

This project we would have to do for the holidays was definitely going to be interesting. Interesting meaning dysfunctional, uncomfortable, problematic, difficult, ill at ease, and above all: awkward.

I don't even want to get into the Harold thing either…oy.

So my new plan is to act the way I've been acting all along. Defense mechanism, people. Deny, deny, deny, and when all else fails, deny.

I hate James Potter. See? I'm getting there.

…I think I'm going to be sick.

**James's POV:**

I was walking down the hall with my hands in my pockets with Sirius, Peter, and the traitor when I saw Amelia Fitzsmith (some blonde bird) lounging by the entrance of our advanced Charms class. This should be easy.

"Hi James." She smiled flirtatiously.

Maybe a little too easy.

"Hi there lovely." I smiled back.

What? I'm in mourning. So sue me.

We walked into the classroom and I saw _her_ sitting at her usual front row center seat. She was bent over some journal or something, furiously scribbling. Damn her. With her impossibly sweet face screwed up in frustration.

"Why Jamsie Poo," Sirius clapped me on the back as we approached our seats. "I believe I just saw you flirting with that trite little blonde."

I gave him a stale look.

He only smiled and spoke so no one but us could hear, "Now forgive me if I am wrong, and this will sound very odd coming from yours truly, but don't you fancy Evans?"

I ignored him.

"Okay forget that question, how about this one: Don't you know that dismal blonde is not half as cracking as your little red friend?"

Ignored him.

"Look lad," He turned towards me, "I'm just enforcing the fact that as a Marauder, you can do much better."

I looked at him finally. "I know that, Sirius." And turned away again as Professor Flitwick came in.

I'm not letting him on to my little plan to win Lily over. (Or actually _force_ her to fall in love with me)

(Not that any of my plans had worked before…)

Hmmm…

(Damn you, Lily.)

With his big gob, Lily would surely hate me more than she already does. She already thinks I'm a huge freak for having that collapse in Transfiguration.

**Sirius POV:**

Stubborn git.

**Lily's POV:**

Must write faster! Must finish ideas for holiday party! Must win!

So, the chicken scratches in my journal were my "plans" for our meeting with Professor Slughorn that were due in about three days time. After all of the emotional turmoil I had been through, I completely forgot and started planning immediately.

What? So I'm a bit of an overachiever…sue me.

Anyway the main point was to come up with better ideas than Potter so he could at least be impressed with that since he now hated my guts.

I also told all of my mates that I'm over him.

They all snorted at me and said "fat chance".

I'll show them.

So far this is what my journal looked like:

Christmas concert with music, dance, etc. For everyone to showcase their talent, but I'm sure the Marauders will start something awful like a dung bomb contest, or something of the sort. Pricks.

A ball (of course), but I'm sure the Marauders will wreck it by showing up naked or something. Its sad how well I know the Marauders because of Seph's persistent obsession. And maybe a little of my obsession too, but its mostly Seph. Shut up. Don't judge me.

Small carnival with booths would be cute, but I'm sure the Marauders will ruin the kissing booth by conjuring a redistributing ticket machine or something. Gits.

See a pattern?

How depressing is my life?

"Lily!" Drew dropped her bag on the floor next to me. "Where have you been all day?"

"Avoiding Faye and her 'breathing'." I murmured, one hand supporting my chin. Yawning, I blinked couple of times and sighed, "I need some coffee."

Drew furrowed her brows at me, "You look like you haven't slept in days, are you alright?"

"Oh fine, just a little restless." I smiled meekly. "I just needed to catch up a bit on schoolwork."

She nodded at me and faced the front as professor Flitwick approached.

It was true. Though I joke about it to myself every day I felt a large looming dread on my shoulders. I was restless every night the past week, terrified and confused about James. Why let a boy run my thought process? It had been like this for years anyway. Why stop now?

I can get into it, but too tired to do even that.

I turned around to grab my Advanced Charms book out of my bag, and accidentally looked up to see James smiling and winking at that ditsy girl Amelia. _Really_ stupid.

Pretty hair, though.

Pratboy.

A/N: This was just a test out to see if any of you are still reading and interested.

And for you new ones, read and review! I'm getting heavily back into this and am very excited for any criticism or love.

Thanks!


	6. Lily the ManAnizer

A/N: Wow! I'm very impressed and happy about all of the reviewers I recognize from long long before. Thank you very much loves. I hope you all like the direction it will go in from here on in. It gets a bit complicated in this chapter but it is nice and long, so enjoy!

Now READ.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter :(

**LILY THE MAN-ANIZER**

**Lily's POV:**

Blah blah bloody blah. This humdrum life was turning me into a hermit. Point being I got too upset or distracted every time I saw Potter (Yes, Potter and not James. I'm the old me. Well, the new me. The new old me! Denial!) I felt depressed. So to the library I went. Doing homework, working out plans for the holiday festivities…crying.

What? Who said that?

So I stayed,

And practically LIVED.

So…no more Potter.

Don't even get me started on Harold.

I'd already screwed that one up.

Well, gosh. I'd successfully screwed myself out of two very lovely lads in one night. Go me! Anyway, onwards and upwards I guess.

Not to mention my friends had noticed my new, er, habits:

"Lily." Drew spoke loudly.

I looked up, annoyed. "Do you not realize we are in the library?" I whispered up at her.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "I don't give two shiny shites where we are, you are coming with me."

My mouth dropped. She cant disrespect the library like that! I will not stand for this. I will not allow her to ruin my company and solitude. These books were my REAL friends anyway.

God I sound pathetic.

"And where, pray tell," I rested my heavy head on my palm, "are we going?"

"You'll see." She wrenched my arm up and dragged me (literally) away from the wooden table where I had been sitting for ten minutes. Okay maybe four hours. "I've had enough of you living your life in the library and shutting yourself up in the room. You _need_ to get out."

Honestly!

"I've been out!" I cried indignantly, earning me a glare from the librarian. No! My only friend!

"Lily, it's a Friday night and you are sitting in the dark, hunched over a book more than fourteen times your age." Drew spoke as she walked quickly, still dragging me behind her. She wasn't even turning back to talk to me.

"Okay, okay." I struggled to keep up, slapping at her hand (claw, rather) all the way. "But what is the rush? Do we really need to be walking this quickly?"

She just kept power walking. "You'll see."

We trudged through the portrait hole and I tripped over the entrance and almost DIED but Drew's body was in the way luckily. Only around TEN in our year saw too.

My image is just rising and rising.

Up the stairs and through our door she pushed me down onto a chair and screeched, "Faye Seph, Alice, Natalie, she's here!"

"Ugh, finally!" Alice Jones wandered in from the bathroom completely decked out. I mean completely. She had on a skintight black dress with matching boots on. Her winter cloak was hanging on her shoulders loosely and she had makeup on and pristine hair.

"Well you look nice, Alice, where are you—" I stared in horror. Every girl was completely made up. No. No, no, no. They weren't expecting me to…

"Yes, well now it's your turn!" Natalie came over, hair shining. I want shiny hair!

Were they kidding? I could never look like that, EVER. I'm not the make up type. I wear chapstick to formal events.

"No, I cant." I said meekly as they turned me around and started doing all these things to my face. "What is THAT?" I asked Drew as some metal thing came at my face.

"An eyelash curler, now shut up and do as we say." She and the other two girls attacked me and I sat back and took it. I had no energy to fight back. Too much physical strain from…er…sitting at that table…

Shut up.

Okay maybe I needed this.

"There is a party in Hogsmeade tonight." Faye said from the wall she was leaning against. She looked gorgeous too, though she was all against makeup because she was "Zen" and "natural", but tonight she had a bit on. And she worked it.

Persephone on the other hand was pouting against the wall with Faye. I could tell she felt uncomfortable in a dress and didn't like her make up. She was as tomboyish as they could get. A couple of times I saw her (through all of the arms and hands coming at my face) trying to slip on a pair of jeans, but Drew would shout at her and then she would shy away.

"Yeah but _you_ wouldn't have known it if it slapped you in the face." Drew said absently.

"Why not?"

"Because you should be paying rent to the library nowadays." Alice quipped with a smile.

"Alright, alright. I _get_ it." I rolled my eyes. "Ow."

"Sorry, almost done." Natalie breathed.

"There." Drew leaned back with a satisfied smile.

I stood and looked at myself in the mirror. "Whoa."

Alright, I had to admit—I looked pretty good. No, DAMN good. I smiled and thanked each girl for their input. They knew not to mess with me fashion-wise. I knew where to go in that department, I just really hated spending time on make up and hair in the mornings when I could be daydreaming about P—

Never mind.

Faye pulled out a short satin champagne-colored dress that had an empire waist. "Try this."

"You're joking." I laughed nervously. My legs and a short dress? No. I would laughed out of the party. I would be ridiculed. I would be—

"Just put it on!" Drew screeched.

Sulking, I slipped it on quickly to save myself (and everyone else for that matter) from a Drew shriek attack.

"No more of you sulking around because Potters an idiot." Drew announced.

"Drew!"

"What?" She looked at me.

Seriously?

"Oh!" She smiled. "Don't worry, they all know."

Bitch.

"Oh sod it, Lily." Natalie said to her reflection in the mirror while she dabbed at her eyelashes with some sponge-y thing. "It really was obvious, you know half the people in our year—"

"Alright then, ALRIGHT." I snapped. Then I regained control. "Lets go get pissed."

All six of us wandered down the stairs reapplying lippy and glosses, exchanging compliments, etc. You know, girl pish posh.

Oh, did I tell you it is at a run down old pub where they serve minors? Well it is.

My lucky day.

This night had better be fun and NOT turn out like the last drunken extravaganza I'd had.

A shudder went through my entire body at the thought.

**Sirius's POV**

I wonder if Drew will be there.

I mean—Right bitch. I hope she burns.

"James, for the last time, are you done examining each pore in your entire face?"

He turned round to face me. "For your information, I was looking for…er—Shut up." He said indignantly.

Remus pulled his cloak on and rolled his eyes at me. James had flipped out when he heard Drew in the common room talking to some other birds about how they needed to drag Lily away from her books and to the party at the pub and he had been at the mirror ever since.

That was four hours ago.

**Lily's POV**

The pub was rather cleaned up tonight (unlike normal nights where it was smelly, smoky, and filled with strange wizards that liked to hit on teenage girls an eighth their age). It was well lit, with Christmas decorations everywhere, and the walls were shining a pretty gold color. Not half bad.

I went straight to the bar (great decision) and ordered a glass of Champagne.

Didn't think I was classy enough for that, eh?

Well you can stuff it!

I decided to take it easy on the first round and scope out the scene and people before I went crazy like my mates, who were currently doing firewhiskey shots. Even Faye!

Hey, Seph managed to sneak a pair of jeans on, how nice for her.

I laughed at Drew's disgusted face and turned around and rested my elbows on the bar, talking to Seph.

Then I saw him walk in. Looking perfect in every way.

Do I even need to say his name?

Could my life get any worse?

Yes, alright, thank you, enough. ENOUGH WITH THE STARING.

All of my mates (I mean ALL of them) were giving me winky eyes and batting eyelashes, but they just looked like pink-faced loons from the firewhiskey.

Thank the Gods I decided against the firewhiskey.

For now…

Anyway, I just calmly ignored them. Well it was quite hard to do when Drew slapped back a third shot and put her hand on her hips and stared at me expectantly.

"I'm not looking at you, drunky." I kept my gaze on my glass.

"Well?" She asked.

"Well, what?" I sipped my champagne.

She rolled her eyes and moved a little closer. "In all seriousness, Lily." She spoke quietly. "Nothing?"

"Drew," I faced her with genuine seriousness. "He doesn't fancy me any more, trust me."

She gave me a look.

"Honestly, look," I moved my head in his direction towards the corner, "He's chatting up some blonde."

Whoa, not ready to see that just yet. Oh wait, it's ALL I had been seeing the last two weeks.

She sighed and turned to me. "You're right."

Damn!

I nodded with a sarcastic smile and felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around.

"Remus!" I gave him a large hug and over his shoulder saw James—I mean, Potter look up at us. We made eye contact and I pulled away to talk to Remus.

Stupid Pratboy.

"Guess who just saw us hug?" I smiled sweetly up at him.

"Oh I don't know. Kevin?" He mused. Yeah, I let him in on the code name. He caught on well.

"Of course!" I downed the rest of my champagne. This was going to be a long night. "Anyway I don't want to spend the whole night talking about him and moping. I want to have fun, that is why I came here. Or rather, was dragged here."

"Well, Lily you look very pretty." He said. "Just wanted to say hi, don't want Kevin to rip my head off."

I smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Remus you look good yourself. See you later."

He turned and went round to a couple of people and then disappeared.

Now where were those firewhiskey shots? I mean, where were my friends and those firewhiskey shots?

**James POV**

"Traitor."

"What?" Amelia looked up at me with big brown eyes.

"Sorry, nothing darling."

"Anyway, I was saying its really nice to get to know you outside of class." She twirled a ringlet around her finger.

"Mmhmm." Now she's taking shots! Seriously? After last time?

"Yeah, I think I've really…"

Tuned her out to watch Lily. That was a very nice dress. I wonder what it would look like on the floor. I mean on the bed. I mean—damn.

I looked back down at Amelia twirling and talking away while she sipped on her white wine spritzer.

Honestly. A spritzer.

**Lily's POV**

Alright, two shots in and he is still chatting up that blonde. It is about time for me to grab a guy and start dancing.

I followed Drew and Natalie to the loo and we had a touch up inside and gossiped like all god-natured teenaged girls do.

"Did you see Catherine's dress?" Natalie dabbed some mascara onto her lashes.

Drew made a face. "Yeah, I don't think she brought enough breasts for the rest of the class." And then burst out laughing.

Note to self: Don't drink as much as Drew, ever.

Natalie was laughing so hard she missed her eye and got a huge splotch of black on her cheek.

Now I was laughing.

New note to self: Don't drink as much as Natalie either.

I just examined my hair in the mirror and dragged the both of them back out into the life and ordered myself another glass of champagne. The music was getting louder and louder by the hour and people had to shout over it to speak. And I fancied myself a fag, soo outside it is.

I dragged Drew with me to smoke and she tottered around on her heels with the unlit fag in her hand. She was taking puffs (or rather _thought_ she was) and rambling on about how much she hated Sirius.

I eyed her for a minute and then asked the inevitable, "Do you fancy him?"

Any tottering stopped at that moment and I jumped out of the way as she LUNGED at me with her big red claws.

Not to self 3: Never piss off Drew when she is drunk

Once I got her to calm down, she made me promise to never to mention or think that again.

Like that was going to happen.

I know her little secrets. But to avoid claws, I will just have to keep it to myself for now.

"Lily, you know what you need?" She slurred at me.

"No, but I know what _you_ need, and that is a tic tac."

She ignored me and kept talking. Rather, drunkenly rambling.

But she did make one point, "You need to be a man-anizer."

"A what?"

"Like a womanizer but for women." She slurred and tottered. "To do to men. To do to James for being an pricktard."

Nice.

Prick tard? I think I could use that.

"You do surprisingly make sense." I mused, finishing up my fag. "Thanks for the advice drunky. Now lets go get you some Sirius."

I ran inside before that last comment registered with her.

I got another drink and Faye, Seph and Natalie had themselves another shot. My GOD, those girls could drink.

Faye and I started dancing like loons and I will admit, it was very nice to let loose and have a night away from the castle (in my case, the library).

That is until I did a spin around Faye and Seph came up to me looking anxious.

"Whats wrong?" I shouted over the music.

"What?" She shouted back.

"WHATS WRONG?"

"WHAT?"

I just looked at her for a minute and then resumed dancing.

She kept spinning me around when I turned and I found it a bit odd but no matter, I was having a nice time.

Then I decided the glass in my hand was detrimental to my sex-appeal and I would have to return it to the bar or set it on a table or something.

What? You don't think I have sex appeal?

When I turned towards the bar I saw what Seph was probably looking worried about. Not surprised, considering her eyes followed all Marauders at all times. Very sweet of her to try to keep me from seeing it but I would have to eventually.

Potter was all over Amelia from our class.

No worry, I'd seen it coming.

Then again, with five drinks in me, I reacted physically more than mentally. I felt my body lurch forward and ran to the bathroom.

After retching my heart out, I cleaned my mouth out and looked in the mirror.

You stupid, stupid girl.

I think that was all I needed to really get over him. He would never change and neither would I.

I walked out to my friend's worried faces but I just shrugged it off. They stayed by me, took more shots with me, and finished dancing with me like good friends were supposed to do.

But its okay. I'm done.

Operation Lily the Man-anizer was officially in session.

And well look at that cracking lad in the corner. I believe his name is Davies. Maybe I'd have to speak with this Davies character before the night was over.

**James POV**

"Amelia." I held her back. "I'm sorry love, you're smashed, I cant."

She looked up at me with those big doe eyes and pouted a bit.

Cute.

But no cigar.

I walked away and found Sirius coming out of a little nook broom closet adjusting his clothing with a wink at some brunette I had never seen before.

"Living up to the Marauder name, I see." I shouted.

Come to think of it, she definitely was not a student.

Not for at least ten years.

He just smiled that Sirius smile and ran a hand through his hair.

I was lost in thought about how to get Amelia off my case when my eyes caught Lily's, and she was dancing with Faye on the dance floor. She scowled at me and turned around. Then some bloke came up behind her and started rubbing up against her.

Oh no, this simply would not do.

From behind my back I shot a curse at this "lad" under my breath.

Sirius and I laughed relentlessly when he started dancing like a bull in a china shop, bumping into people and most importantly, Lily.

She seemed peeved and moved away from him with a startled look on her face.

Step 1 (of many) of my plan was complete.

Sirius looked at me knowingly and I decided to walk over, but as soon as she turned around her face went from all smiles to surprise, then to acute horror.

"Dance with me." I said closely to her face.

Amazingly, she complied.

**Lily's POV**

The nerve of this guy!

He cant just snog some dimwit and then come up to me and expect me to dance with him when he knows that I—oh, sod it.

I agreed.

I don't know what I was doing, I was drunk!

Stop judging me!

Okay judge me, because it gets even better.

While we were dancing I formulated a genius plan.

Probably a bad idea since I was upset, drunk, and well, drunk.

With my back to him, things started getting hot and heavy and I was moving against him, running my hands along his thighs, then up to his neck. I turned around and this prick moved his face close to mine and was probably trying to kiss me, but that was the time when I pulled a random guy from nowhere into me and we started to dance, leaving James in the dust.

I felt like I was in a movie.

Only a sad, less exciting, stupid movie where the heroine plays childish games with the love of her life, but you get the gist.

I tried my best not to look back at James and keep dancing.

That would teach him,

YOU DON'T MESS WITH LILY POTTER.

I mean—I just said Potter.

I deserve to die.

Er—I'm drunk. Okay?

Shut up already!

And maybe I started kissing this random guy too.

Maybe.

I'll never tell.

Okay, I did.

And it also might have been Davies, James' Quidditch rival.

Maybe.

A/N: good? No good?

They both have plans now. And they're both psychotic and as messed up as normal people like us are! Yay!

Please review and any criticism appreciated!

Oh looky, whats that?

I

I

V

A review button?

Reaaaaally?

…

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…

..

well, you know what to do.


	7. Lush Girl

A/N: I know you loved the last chappy…..

You'll love this one even more!

Oh, hangover city.

Am I even alive?

"Urghhhggrh." I heard Drew moving in her bed to the right of mine…then a large thud on the floor. Oh Drew.

She cursed like a sailor as she pulled herself up off the floor, which in turn woke the rest of the girls up.

"Drew, you look like walking death." I sniggered as I dodged a pillow from her.

Sitting up, I rubbed my forehead and tried to remember everything that happened the night before.

Only danced with Potter a bit and deciding to become a mananizer…er…yeah, sounds about right. I managed to drink five drinks and stay the least drunk if my friends. I was also the girl to help her mates out of the toilets and back to the castle.

And then it hit me.

**Flashback***

Oh my, this Davies lad was a nice little kisser.

"You know, I've always had a thing for you." He whispered in my ear as we danced.

I cocked an eyebrow up at him, "Oh really?"

He nodded and tightened his grip on me.

And for some reason, I was not flattered. I was…empty. Well—not technically after all the booze—but you understand what I mean.

I pulled away and gave him a small smile. "I think I'm going to use the loo." Then I walked away.

Graceful. I know.

It was worthless leading on a boy for my selfish needs to make James Potter jealous. No, no…I needed to grow up a bit.

Wow, I should do this sober thing more often.

I went in search of Drew and found her at the bar clutching a shot glass. She was a bit hunched over and had a sour face on. I walked over and leaned on the bar right next to her. "Hey love."

She turned towards me reluctantly and I saw tears in her eyes.

"My god, Drew what is the matter." I grabbed her arm with wide eyes.

She shook her head a slammed a hand on the bar top, "Another shot, barkeep!" She slurred.

I frowned and gently pulled her away from the bar and walked her over to the door after I wrapped her with my cloak. Outside, we walked across the way and I sat her on a rock and kneeled in front of her on the grass. "What happened," I took her hand as she rubbed her face and looked away, "What's wrong?"

"I—I, well…" she rubbed at her eyes again, furiously. "I overheard some girls in the loo talking about me."

I stared up at her in confusion.

"Badly." She added. "I heard Bethany Dotson ranting about how I am puny and ugly, and couldn't understand why anyone would ever fancy me."

That right bitch! She had nowhere to complain with her snaggle-toothed grin, awful skin, and overt nastiness to every female in the school. Not to mention the number of people who respected her because her legs were permanently in the plow-me position. And I told her just as much.

"Darling, you know how gorgeous you are and how foul she is." I said. "Please do not take her criticism to heart, she is just washed up because she's had every lad in our year (and a couple of professors). She has nothing left!"

I managed a little smile from her.

"Ready to go back in?" I rubbed her cold fingers tightly in my hands.

"Yes." She stood, a little unsteadily. "Thank you. Please don't mention this to anyone."

"I've already forgotten about it." I smiled and turned towards the pub.

Standing outside the door was Remus, speaking rapidly to a furious Sirius. I found it a bit odd.

"The odd thing is," Drew spoke again, "She was speaking about some lad who turned her down because he was looking at me, or something."

I thought a minute and pieced two and two together.

Oh, poor Sirius, if he was turning down girls for Drew, he had better declare celibacy then and there. She would never have him.

I smiled at both of them as we walked inside, noting that Sirius's cheeks were rather pink. "Right, that is odd."

Once inside the pub again, I immediately spotted the rest of our friends flailing like drunken banshees and inserted Drew with a clear warning to everyone that she was not allowed to have another drink.

Sighing, I went outside alone for a fag. What a night. As I pulled my cloak closer to me I leaned against the wall away from Remus and Sirius. I didn't bother eavesdropping because I figured I knew what they were going on about anyway. As I puffed the cig I let the smoke out slowly, closing my eyes.

"Mind if I bum?" Potter's voice shook my eyes open (and my heart into my throat).

I wordlessly reached into my pocket and handed him a cigarette and a light. I must have shown surprise (or horror) in my face because he smiled at me (swoon) and even chuckled a little.

What?

"I figure," He lit the cigarette and spoke with it in his mouth, "Maybe we should be civil to each other if we are being forced work on this holiday thing together."

I frowned a little, not loving the way that sentence was phrased (but melting over the way his lips looked with that cig in his mouth because I could ice that mouth like a cake and—)

"Truce?" He offered a hand.

I still didn't know what to say. I love you? I hate you? Marry me? Have my children? Wait, no—that's the other way around…unless we want to get complicated and start talking test tube babies—SHUT UP LILY!

"Okay." I took his hand.

One small step for our future, no?

Does that sound a bit creepy?

Shut up.

We stood there smoking our cigarettes without another word to each other in surprisingly comfortable silence. Feeling his presence next to me was reassuring in a weird way. Like we could be friends…which wasn't what I wanted, but hey—better than nothing.

I finished my cigarette and stubbed it out in the dirt. Pulling my cloak around myself I tried to find my words. "Well, I'm going to go in now. Bye."

He nodded and looked ahead.

Weird.

Weird?

Oh God, kill me.

Did this mean he was going to speak to me in public? Or were we to only speak when we worked on the project together? Or in private? Naked?

What? Who said that?

Anyway I walked inside and found the girls just as I left them, dancing like drunken red-faced loons. Love them.

Smiling, I joined them since I was in a far better mood after my little encounter. Faye was drunk as a skunk and dancing in circles around us. I was a bit jealous of how she could flail around and still look really beautiful. Damn her.

Then I saw Drew twirl around and into the arms of Sirius. But she had no idea it was him.

Oh, this was perfect.

So I spied on them.

She danced for a few seconds against him, while he looked surprised. And once she turned around to face him he was dragged away by Bethany Dotson, who yanked his arm around her waist. Drew took on a confused face and shook her head slightly.

End Flashback*

Hey, at least I remembered everything that happened the night before. Usually that's a shot in hell.

…Anyway…

I felt good, I had gotten sleep and I was in my new pencil skirt. I didn't have a care in the world.

I went to lunch with Faye and Drew. Persephone was out cold in a drunken coma. I walked into the great hall with my mates and found a seat down the middle of the long empty Gryffindor table.

"I'm so over this hangover", Drew moaned, looking unpleasant the whole trip down.

"Lay off the pints next time." I said, sipping my coffee and scanning the room for James. He had better show up, I look bloody hot. For once.

"You lay off the lush next time." Drew shot back, her head on the table.

"Hey!" I protested, knowing I may have, sort of acted a bit tarty with Gregory. "I'm in mourning."

"You've been mourning for five years!" Drew shot her head up. "You need to do something."

I wasn't taken aback by her boldness. By now, the rest of us were used to it. "Yeah, I will, right after he decides to START TALKING TO ME AGAIN."

Drew just dropped her head down onto her arms a second time, giving up.

I sighed and watched Faye jump up to hug Gretchen and welcome her to sit with us. I loved that girl, she was one of those gorgeous girls who didn't know it, and she was sweet as pie too. A bit naïve, though.

"Hello ladies." She sat down next to me.

"Hi love," I greeted her with a hug, "How's everything?"

"Wonderful, I've just got a letter from my mum, she's packing for a new show in London, but she wants to come by and visit." She laughed. "I kindly explained that parents don't usually come by to visit at the castle."

Oh right, on top of being absolutely perfect, her mother was a famous fashion designer in the Wizarding world, and was constantly traveling.

She was the kind of person who was regularly featured in Witch Weekly, and if she wasn't, her clothing was sure to be on a new star. But of course, Gretchen was very humble about it and never spoke a word about it until asked. We knew her so well that we were lucky enough to meet her mother (also perfectly sweet, although a bit manic) and she took us round London last summer. We were all becoming fast friends, and we tried to steal her away from the clutches of Amelia, who was only using her for her money and connections.

"Anyway, I really miss her, I haven't seen her in so long." Gretchen tucked a strand of light brown hair behind one ear and reached for a roll. "I barely get to see her when I'm home!"

I thought for a minute. "Well," I mused. "I know a way you could get your mum over here for the holidays if she wont be busy."

Drew raised her head and gave me a menacing look. "And _how_ are you supposed to do that?"

Note to self 4: Stay away from Drew for at least 24 hours after she is hung over.

I ignored her and turned to Gretchen with a smile on my face. "I totally understand if she will be busy because the holidays are high tide for the fashion industry, but I was put in charge of the festivities for this December. Maybe you could have her out here to do a fashion show with a few students putting together sets, modeling, etc."

Her face lit up. "Lil, you're brilliant! She would love to help out! I just know it." She started rummaging through her bag for a quill. "I'm going to write her right now. She'd been wanting to help the school out in some way."

"Great," I smiled, feeling a lot of weight lift off my shoulders. I had a lot more to do, but this would relieve a good amount of stress. "I really appreciate it, please don't worry if she can't—"

"No, no!" She waved a hand, dismissing my sentence. "She would be pleased!"

I nodded towards Drew with a "Ha!" smile.

She gave me the worst look and shoved some chicken into her mouth, (probably to keep from baring her teeth and lunging over the table at me).

Faye looked as pleased as the rest of us (save Drew) and munched happily on her toast. "I think I'm going to help you, Lily."

"Really?" I asked, confused. "I could certainly use the help, thank you. That's very nice of you, unlike Negative Nancy over here."

Surprisingly, I didn't get my eyes clawed out.

Faye nodded in response, laughing at my comment. Then I saw Persephone walk up, also vaguely resembling a very old rag, rubbing her eyes. She plopped down next to Drew and piled food onto her plate without a word.

"Seph—" Faye started.

"I don't want to hear it." She mumbled a bit sharply and went back to her food. "Pretend I'm not here please, so I can eat my food in peace."

She was in quite a state. She didn't even glance a third time (only twice) when the Marauders filtered into the Dining Hall. They swaggered right down to a spot about fifteen feet from us.

Sirius stopped in front of us and smiled charmingly. "Alright, ladies?"

Drew gave him the finger with her head still on the table while the rest of us answered politely.

After slowly moving his eyes away from Drew, he looked at Gretchen. "Gretch, mind if I have a word?"

She nodded, "Sure," and mouthed _I'll be right back_ to the rest of us as she grabbed a peach with her.

Drew lifted her head slowly and watched them walk out into the corridor, speaking to each other rapidly.

"What d'you suppose they're talking about?" Seph wondered aloud, voicing the look on Drew's face.

"Come up for air, have you?" Faye stared at Drew.

She just gave us all dirty looks and dropped her head again.

I looked over at James and wondered how I would approach letting him know about my new idea for the holidays without bragging and without making it incredibly awkward. Especially since I was fantastic at being awkward.

Then he caught me staring at him and I looked down at my food, beet red.

Idiot Idiot idiot.

"Well, I'm off." I stood.

"Mm." Faye stood as well. "I'll come with you, do you fancy going down to the lake?"

"Yeah, I'll bring my homework."

"Honestly, Lily." Faye brushed crumbs off her skirt. "You don't always have to study. Why don't we relax, or go for a run?"

"I just don't want to get behind." I protested.

She just shook her head and turned to Drew and Seph, an unhappy looking couple. "Bye you two…get some rest."

They ignored her and we walked up the row and through the door.

Once outside of the Dining Hall, we saw Gretchen and Sirius leaning against a stained glass window speaking as rapidly as before.

"Hey!" Gretchen flagged us down, Sirius looked startled at the sight of us. "You're not leaving me with tweedle mean and tweedle hangover, are you?"

I nodded solemnly, unable to keep the smile off my face.

"I hate you." She said.

"We're going down to the lake, join us when you're done." I replied.

She nodded and went back to talking to Sirius.

As we got outside, Faye spoke up. "They looked a bit funny didn't they?"

"Oh, you know Gretchen, she's very helpful." I reasoned. "She's probably tutoring him, or helping him get a girl."

Faye nodded. "But I thought he fancied Drew."

I shrugged and started jogging and she followed suit.

After our run, I felt refreshed and happy. Maybe I should start listening to loony (Faye) and do some of her yoga-type hippie things more often. While she was getting ready in the dorms, I decided to wander around the lake some more alone.

I dropped down by the grass near the Quidditch pitch to rest after nearly dying of thirst from the run. I saw a team practicing, zooming along the posts, weaving between bludgers.

When my eyes focused properly, I saw a male walk out hand in hand with a petite blonde girl.

Please don't be James, please don't be James, please don't be—

Oh shite.

Harold.

I jumped up and ran behind a tree to spy on my ex boyfriend. Peeking through the branches, I saw him bend down to kiss the girl.

I knew it. It was Charlotte.

Feeling defeated, I kicked my way back to the castle and as far away from the pitch as possible. I mean sure, I was the one who cheated first, but had he been cheating all along? I was obviously right about his infatuation with Charlotte.

Ho hum. I decided to try to push it away from my mind, though I felt the tears stinging at the corners of my eyes.

Rubbing my face furiously, I forced my way through the portrait hole. Luckily there was no one in the common room so I decided to make my way up the stairs and lock myself in my room until classes Monday. Only someone stopped me at the foot of the stairs.

"Hey."

I paused at the bottom of the staircase to take a deep breath and do my best to look as though I was not crying. I turned around slowly to see James standing there. "Hi."

His face changed when he saw my reddened eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I tried to laugh it off. "I'm fine. What's up?"

"Have you been crying?" He asked.

"No." Bad lie.

What part of me being FINE does he not understand? If I say I'm bloody fine then I am BLOODY WELL FINE. Oh God, I feel like puking.

He took an awkward step toward me. "Well…I just thought since we have to present our ideas tomorrow we should get together to go over everything."

Of course. He was asking to be cordial. What he really needed was for me to be semi-sane (which frankly there are never any guarantees even on a normal day for me), so we wouldn't fail the winter project.

"Right." I said, snapping to. "Um, today isn't great for me, could we possibly meet tomorrow a few hours before the meeting with Slughorn?"

He nodded.

"So…" I wrung my hands nervously. "Is one alright? After lunch in the library?"

"Of course."

"Alright," I gave him a small smile, "See you then."

I turned to go and felt him touch my arm. I looked at him, seeing him still standing there. "Um…"

"Lily—"

"Well there you are Prongsie!" Sirius burst into the room, interrupting us.

James dropped his hand and looked down at his feet. "See you tomorrow."

"See you." I jabbed quickly and hopped up the stairs as fast as my feet could take me.

Once I got to my bed, I fell backwards onto it and lay there thinking about our exchange. On the one hand it was nice to have him being civil to me and actually acting as if he cared if I were upset. Yet the fact that it was fake hurt me more than the civility itself.

I would just have to get through this project and act tough. Maybe this whole Man-anizer idea would be too much for me right now.

A/N: Sorry this chapter was a little more serious. It's got to be serious sometimes people!

Let me know!


	8. Annoyed girl

A/N: SO, its been like five years since I updated? six? If there is anyone still alive and reading out there, please let me know!

I mainly got frustrated when updating because I got favorited a TON but then I got ZERO reviews! Very annoying! But ah well, I love writing, so I am doing it for that sake now. Screw it!

Hope y'all enjoy, even if you _don't_ review. Jerks! ;)

**Lily's P.O.V.**

So, Potter wanted to be 'civil' with me, eh? Well if by 'civil' he meant 'my boyfriend', that would be just fine. But that most definitely wasn't the case. Damn it.

"Lil, are you alright?" A male voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to see Sirius leaning over me at the breakfast table. I frowned up at him, wondering why he was talking to me at all. I knew he was friends with Faye, but for the past few years he'd been _way_ to cool to talk to me.

When I didn't answer, he just plopped down next to me. I really didn't need the distraction. I'd rushed to breakfast very early this morning to work on my ideas for the winter project to be _alone_.

Drew even threw her pillow at me because I was making too much noise while I brushed my hair. She wasn't much of a morning person.

"You look like you want to strangle something." He gestured at my hands. I looked down, and my left hand was cramped into a fist, while the other scribbled away.

"I'm beginning to want to strangle _you_."

Sirius laughed, his face warming up. For a split second I could see what all the girls in our year saw in him. "Am I interrupting something?"

I sighed, dropping my quill onto the parchment. "I've been trying to put together some ideas for my meeting with Potter before our joint meeting with Slughorn. I'm having a little trouble."

"Oh right." He grabbed the teapot that sat in front of me and started to pour himself a cup of earl grey. "Yeah, he did some work last night. I didn't even see him go to bed."

Immediately, my mind went to an uncomfortable place. Where would anyone be that late? I wondered which girl he might've been with.

"Are you alright?"

It must've shown on my face, but I snatched the teapot back from him. "I'm fine. Just a little surprised that Potter did any work at all last night."

"He is capable of work." He shrugged. "He did make prefect in fifth year."

"Mmhmm." I nodded, wishing he would just leave.

I let my eyes drift over to the doorway at precisely the wrong moment. Harold waltzed in with Charlotte, one arm around her. He pulled her in by the neck to give her a sweet kiss on the cheek while she blushed.

"Bollocks." I muttered.

"What's wrong, doll?"

I turned fully to face him with suspicion, my emotions getting the better of me. "What do you want from me?"

"Can't I get to know a friend?" He gave me a little smile.

"No. We are not friends. What do you want?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Nothing." He laughed. "I just have this feeling that I should be getting to know you."

"I didn't know you were so gifted at divination." I rolled my eyes, and he snickered.

"Do you realize how much I hate you right now?" Drew's voice came up from behind, blathering away. "You got me up a full hour earlier than I normally get up and I wasn't able to go back to sleep! I am a foul mood now, and it is all your fault."

Sirius and I shared a look while she sat down, still talking.

After a moment of silence while she took a sip of coffee, she looked at Sirius, then at me. "What is he doing here?"

I laughed. "My thoughts exactly."

SIrius pretended to look accosted and I nudged him with my elbow.

"Well, I should be off." He pushed down on the table to stand. "Good luck with your meetings, love."

We watched him strut away, and I saw a few fourth years going googly eyes at him as he passed, unaware (or possible completely aware and ignoring) of their presence.

"What, are you two besties now?" Drew started to butter a piece of toast, trying exceedingly hard to keep her tone light.

"I'm just as surprised as you are."

She grumbled before shoving the bread into her mouth.

**James P.O.V.**

"Just talked to your girlfriend, prongsie."

"Excuse me?" I looked up from my parchment in the common room. What the hell was Sirius doing up so early?

"Lily." He pulled out his wand and started to use it to ruffle my hair around.

"Oy! Bugger off."

"She's hard at work for your presentation to Slughorn." He jumped up onto the couch I occupied, his rear on the very top of the back.

"Enough with the hair, Sirius." I tried not to get too irritated. I still had so much work to do to prepare for our meeting. I wanted to be serious about so that she wouldn't hate me too much.

"Are you nervous about spending some alone time with her Jamesie?" Sirius teased me, moving from ruffling my hair to drawing lude photos in the middle of the air. A female and male where doing-the unspeakable.

"What in the world-" A female voice came from the stairs to the girls dormitory.

"Sirius!" I grabbed his wand and chucked it across the room as soon as I saw that it was one of Lily's friends. The blonde one. She gave us a look as she passed, Sirius' drawing probably burned into her mind.

"You're no fun when you're stressed, mate." Sirius shook his head and went after the wand.

**Lily's P.O.V.**

"What is with you today?" Seph nudged me in the middle of Charms. "You've been scribbling in that notebook all class."

"I'm busy."

"I can see that." She looked around the room for help. "I'm going to have to get a new partner in a minute since you wont help me."

"Alright." I flipped the journal closed and turned to her. "What do you need help with?"

"Everything." Her face looked so innocent that I couldn't say no.

"Right, well we can start from the beginning then-"

"Lily, you're needed at the front." A voice behind me prodded.

I swiveled around to see Professor Anders standing at my chair. He motioned at the front of the room where I saw James standing, a roll of parchment in his grip.

Ignoring what felt like a million stared from my classmates, I tapped up to the front. Stop blushing, you idiot.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying not to sound irritated.

"D'you mind stepping outside for a moment?" He kept a normal face on. It was odd to see him without the usual mischievious glint in his eye. He looked...normal.

I nodded and followed him out of the classroom, still aware of everyone's eyes on us, including Gregory Davies. He might've been an interest of mine if I hadn't royally screwed up the other night. I wondered briefly if I could change his mind, until James brushed a hand against my forearm, shooting goosebumps all over my body. I stepped back a moment.

"What is it?" I folded my arms across my chest.

"Sorry to pull you out, Slughorn moved our meeting up two hours."

"He did?" I sighed, the anxiety building in my chest. What was I supposed to do now? I had some ideas, but not enough to present on, especially if these things were going to presented by us together? I could barely look at Potter, never mind work on a project with him. What was I supposed to-

"Don't stress." He held out his parchment. "It's why I'm here. To give you my ideas so you can look them over. After this period we'll have about fifteen minutes to meet up before the meeting."

"Oh." I shook my head. "Wow, thank you."

He smirked at me, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the wall. "You surprised, Evans?"

"No." I pursed my lips as I took his parchment.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, a little surprised, I guess."

Then I saw it-a smile. "Well, I trust your ideas, whatever they are, I just wanted to give you a complete screening of mine so you can veto whatever you like before the meeting."

"Thank you." I stared at the parchment, wondering what to do with myself in the empty hallway.

"You alright?"

I looked up to see the smile remaining. "Yes. Perfectly so. I really, um, appreciate the thought you put into this. Thank you."

"You've already thanked me, Ev." He pushed himself off the wall and winked at me. Winking? Really? What did he think, that I was one of his conquests? How dare he? "See you in an hour. We'll have fifteen minutes at lunch."

Then he was off, and I was alone at the door. The bastard was taking the wrong route to my friendship.

The problem was that I kind of liked it.

**Drew's P.O.V.**

I watched Lily walk back into the room with pink tinging her cheeks. What was Potter on about in the hallway? Why couldn't he just leave my best friend alone?

A thick roll of parchment lay on the desk in front of her, and she stared at it with her chin on her palm.

Giggling erupted behind me and I turned around, frowning.

Bethany Dotson laughed behind her hands with two other sour witches. All three pairs of eyes blinked down at their shared desk and then back up at me.

"Oy, what have you there?" I nodded at them, against my better judgement.

"Nothing." Bethany grabbed at the parchment I eyed on the desk.

**Lily's P.O.V.**

"You can't think about those things."

"Don't let it bother you."

"She's a troll."

Faye, Seph and I were all trying to talk Drew down from the ledge, (so to speak) as we walked through the castle on the way to lunch. Butterflies weighed down my stomach about my short meeting with Potter in precisely two minutes, but helping Drew was distracting enough for the time being.

"I didn't see what they had, but I'm more than certain that it was about me." She sighed. "I don't know why she bothers me so much."

"Yeah, if you got upset about every girl that hated you here," Seph started to laugh, "You'd be in a permanent state of-"

"Shush." I placed my palm on Seph's shoulder. "Not appropriate." I whispered.

I watched Drew's narrowed eyes soften at Seph's uncomfortable face.

"Sorry."

We made it to the entrance to the Great Hall together, still huddled around Drew. It was extra crowded in the hall for lunch, and we were temporarily halted at the doorway to get inside.

Moving through, I rubbed arms with someone on my left, making their way over to the Ravenclaw table.

"Sorry, love."

"You're alright." I looked over and saw that the flesh belonged to my ex boyfriend Harold. Jumping away, I looped my arm through Drew's and pushed my group toward the Gryffindor table. Faye gave me a look until she saw who was steadily walking in the opposite direction.

"Move, move, move." I whispered as I pushed.

"Again? Really, I thought this school was bigger." Drew watched me push us away from him.

I let out a big uncomfortable breath. "Not when you've royally screwed up your past relationship and any possible future ones."

"That's the spirit, Lil." Drew winked.

"We'll be old maids together, then." I said, and she, Faye and Seph laughed. I was glad to make Drew smile a bit.

"Well, Drew, we might be the only ones ending up alone." Seph said, gesturing to the spot we normally occupied on the benches.

James Potter sat at the table alone, waiting patiently.

For me.

Naked.

Just kidding, I wish.

"He's...early." I thought aloud.

All three girls stared at me I slowly approached the table.

"What?" I asked, when they wouldn't stop. They started to pretend to make out with each other the closer we got to Potter. I turned around and pushed them backwards. "Get away from me, you loons."

"We'll just be going." Drew gave a me a huge wink.

Ignoring the people I unfortunately called my friends, I walked over to him and sat down across the table.

"Hi." I dropped parchment on the wood, narrowly missing a floating candle.

James looked up at me and smiled. "Hey, Evans. You ready?"

Why was he being so-un prattish? It made me uncomfortable to see him smile at me. That is, without pretending to ask me out or plan some kind of prank. Or ask out some slutty girl. Or-

"So what did you think of my ideas?" He sat up straight, toying with his tea cup with his right hand. He pushed his hair around with his left while I searched through the parchment. Was he nervous or something? It was adorable to watch him watching me with acute trepidation on his face.

"They're good." I gave him a little smile of my own and then looked back down. "Most of them. I wasn't one hundred percent thrilled with 'Sliming Slytherins'."

I didn't even want to finish reading what that idea entailed.

He gave me a lop-sided smile. "I threw that one in for you. Knew you'd hate it."

I tried not to smile at the fact that he'd thought of me when he wrote this. Keep it together, Lil.

"Well, thank you for that. But in all honesty, I really liked the idea of having a carnival with all types of booths put on by different houses and years. That's creative, and it sounds fun."

James nodded, a little pink creeping up his neck. "So how do you-"

"Jaaames." A voice whined from above our heads. "Where've you been all day? I've been looking for you."

I whipped my head up to see a pretty girl standing up next to James. It was Amelia, the girl I'd seen him snogging the other night in Hogsmeade. I didn't know they were going out. I turned my my eyes back down to the table, not before catching James' eye for a split second. He looked panicked.

Before either of them was able to say anything I gathered out parchment and stood up, nodding at Amelia. "I'll just give you two a moment." Then I looked at James. "I'll, uh, wait for you outside."

"Bye bye." Amelia smiled and took my spot in front of James as I stalked out of the Hall.

How could I be so stupid. Of course he was dating around...maybe I _had_ royally screwed everything up by kissing Remus. By turning James down one too many times...

He was obviously over me. Something in my chest clenched a little as I walked. But Remus insisted that he was still interested in me...maybe he was wrong.

The sadness I felt drummed around the base of my belly, making my whole core sink. But I couldn't show James that I was upset. Upset that he didn't want me anymore. So I did what had always helped me mask my sadness about him before.

I got annoyed.

**James' P.O.V.**

"Padfoot, you could've kept her away from me!"

"I tried, mate!" Sirius looked just as disappointed as I felt. "What was she even doing here?"

"I don't know, I thought I made it pretty clear in Hogsmeade that I wasn't interested." And then she had to go ahead and harass me while I was with Lily.

I dropped my head into my hands. I'd really been tying to show Lily that I'd changed. I'd been having some bad luck lately.

"You'll be alright Jamesie." Sirius pat my back with a sigh of his own. "She'll come round."

I groaned aloud and lifted my head. Lily stood at the entrance to the hall with her hands on her hips. She stared at me, daggers in her eyes. I stood slowly, grabbing my books off the table. When I looked back at her, she beckoned me impatiently, looking annoyed.

Well, back to square one.


End file.
